Burning for Love by Evangeline Anderson

14

Rissa woke feeling cool and refreshed for the first time since her Heat Cycle had started, months ago. For a moment, she couldn’t think why that should be. How was it that, for the first time in ages, she hadn’t woken up in a puddle of sweat with her nightdress sticking to her skin and the Chastity Wire emitting painful little sparks and shocks, as it did when it got damp?

Then she realized her cheek was pillowed on something firm and cold—something that smelled wonderful—like fresh, icy mountain winds. In fact, she thought, as she woke up a little more, her entire body was pressed against this long, hard, cold object that was somehow so comfortable she didn’t want to move. What could it be?

Then the thing she was pressed against moved under her and a deep, rumbling voice murmured,

“Good morning, Princess.”

Rissa gasped and sat up with a jerk as suddenly, everything came rushing back. Meeting her new guard…dancing with him at the ball… the excruciating embarrassment she’d felt when Lady Mildew made him bathe her and demanded she wear the Chastity Wire because she was “dirty.” And then later, the long talk the two of them had had and the way she had fallen asleep against his side.

Goodness gracious, I slept with a strange man in my bed last night—all night long!

The idea felt shocking at first, but Rissa couldn’t sustain the emotion for long. After all, James didn’t feel like a stranger. She’d been dreaming of him for ages and it felt more like one of her dreams had simply come true. Also, it was hard to be upset when being with him just felt so…natural.

“Are you well?” James was still lying on her bed—fully clothed except for his frock coat and boots, which he had removed to avoid dirtying her rose-gold coverlet. He was looking up at her with a small frown on his face, as though he was worried about her. “Are you well?” he asked again.

“Oh, yes—perfectly!” Rissa assured him. “I just…I’ve never, er…never slept with a…a man in my bed before.” She bit her lip. “I’m not sure it’s quite proper.”

“Why?” James asks reasonably. “We didn’t perform any improper acts. I simply lay with you to keep you cool last night.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Did I?”

“Oh, yes,” Rissa admitted. “Generally when I wake up, I’m an overheated mess and I must wash myself down with a pitcher of cold water! But this morning I feel as fresh as a hartha flower!”

“I am glad,” James said gravely. “I am here to keep you safe, Princess. Keeping you from overheating and combusting during the night is part of my mission.”

When he put it that way, Rissa felt much less guilty. After all, it wasn’t as though he’d slept in her bed in order to do…whatever it was that married people did together. He was simply keeping her cool and safe. His ability to chill his body temperature kept her from overheating and also, what assassin would dare attack her when she was being held in the big Kindred’s arms?

“When you put it that way, I almost think we should sleep together this way every night,” Rissa said thoughtfully.

He shrugged.

“Why not? I would be pleased to hold you in my arms and cool you every night for as long as I am with you, Princess.”

“Well…” Rissa began, but just then there was a light tapping at the outer door to her rooms. “Quickly!” she hissed at James. “That will be my maid, Liza! You must go into the outer bedchamber, which is meant for my Companion. Make haste! Oh, and do not forget your boots and coat!” she added.

James was up in a flash and moving so fast he seemed to be almost a blur. He looked through the peep hole in the door and then nodded to her before disappearing into the outer bedchamber, just as she had asked.

The moment he shut the door, Rissa rose and went to open the outer door for the maid, as she usually did every morning.

Liza was standing there patiently, holding a heavy breakfast tray in her skinny arms and wearing a black dress and white apron and cap—the uniform of the palace servants.

“G’day, my Lady,” she said, dropping a quarter curtsy, which was all she could manage holding the large silver tray. “Got your breakfast here, nice and hot.”

“Come in, come in,” Rissa invited. She stood to one side, allowing the maid into the room and gestured to the breakfast table, which was opposite the bed and directly beside the large floor to ceiling glass doors.

Liza sat the tray down carefully and then went to draw the heavy brocade drapes and open the glass double doors which opened onto a balcony overlooking the palace gardens.

“Mmm…lovely day,” she remarked, breathing deeply as the scents of honey-bloom and pink blossom drifted into the room. “And how are you this morning, my Lady?” she asked, turning to Rissa. She frowned. “I must say, you’re looking very refreshed. Did you get up early to wash?”

Normally Rissa was still drenched in sweat with her hair in a tangle and her nightdress sticking to her damp body when she answered the door for the maid in the morning—which she did in order not to wake Lady Mildew. She had always felt that the longer she could let her old chaperone sleep, the better the morning was.

This morning, however, she had slept cool and dry and she felt exceedingly refreshed and happy. Still, she couldn’t let anyone know the reason for that—not even Liza, who was generally friendly.

“Yes, yes I did,” she said, smiling at the maid. “And you’re right—it’s a lovely morning.”

“That it is.” Liza went to strip the sheets off the bed as she did every morning and frowned. “My lady,” she said to Rissa. “Your sheets—they’re dry. Is everything all right? I mean, you know, with your Cycle and all?” she finished in a half-whisper.

“Perfectly fine,” Rissa assured her, smiling.

“But…but your Cycle—” Liza began.

“Is on a downturn,” Rissa finished for her.

Liza frowned.

“But I thought it was on an upturn. For didn’t you overheat yesterday in the Reception Hall? I was quite worried about you, my Lady, when I read about it in the latest issue of Lady TittleTattle’s Breadcrumbs.”

“Oh, is there a new issue?” Rissa exclaimed. “Did you bring it for me, Liza?”

Her maid’s plain face broke into a broad smile.

“Yes, of course I did, my Lady! Don’t I always take care of you?”

“You certainly do.” Rissa smiled at the other girl warmly. She had always liked the maid, who had been looking after her ever since she’d started her Cycle and moved into her mother’s grand apartments. They had an understanding between them—Liza always supplied her with the latest scandal rags, so that Rissa could know what to expect before she faced the Court each day. In return, she gave the maid first pick of her breakfast tray. The servants of the palace were fed well enough, but their food was plain and uninteresting and they almost never got anything sweet.

“Take what you like,” she said now, to Liza, as she always did. “I expect there are some lovely sweet buns there.”

“There are indeed. Thank you, my Lady.” Liza’s eyes went wide as she lifted the silver dome off the bread plate and plucked a large, flaky bun studded with plump, purple gooza berries and glazed with verbeena honey. She bobbed a little curtsy as she took a bite and her eyes rolled heavenward in rapture. “Oh, my Lady—it’s quite wonderful!” she exclaimed, when she had swallowed.

Rissa smiled—delighted as always in the maid’s pleasure. Liza’s raptures over sweet buns and sticky cakes never got old.

“I’m so glad you like it,” she said. “And thank you for bringing me the latest Crumbs.”

“It’s hidden under your plate, my Lady,” Liza whispered, glancing around. They always had to hide the scandal sheet lest Lady Mildew find it and confiscate it—but not before scolding Rissa severely for reading gossip.

But she didn’t have to worry about that anymore, Rissa realized.

“It’s all right, Liza—you don’t have to hide it anymore,” she told the maid. “My new, er, Constant Companion won’t be upset if I read it.”

“Oh, I read about that too.” Liza’s eyes went wide. “Pray tell, my Lady—where is he? Is it true he’s a robot but looks like a man?”

“True enough,” Rissa said cautiously. “He’s in the outer bedchamber—I expect he’ll be up eventually,” she added.

At that moment, the door to the outer bedchamber opened and James came out, fully dressed.

“Your Highness,” he said, bowing deeply to Rissa, as she sat at the table. “I trust you slept well as I guarded you last night?”

“Yes, I did. Very well, Sir James,” Rissa said formally. “Er, this is Liza,” she added, nodding at the maid.

“Enchanted to meet you, Liza,” James said, and bowed to the maid as well.

Liza went scarlet in the face and her eyes went wide.

“Oh, my Lady—he’s so handsome!” she exclaimed and a nervous giggle escaped her before she scurried out of the room.

As the door shut behind her, James made his way to the breakfast table and sat down across from Rissa.

“Good morning again, Princess,” he murmured. “Are you having First Meal?”

“Yes, I guess so—we call it ‘breakfast’ though,” Rissa told him. “Are you hungry? Have some scrambled betha eggs and a pastry.”

James nodded.

“That will make a pleasant change from my usual First Meal of nutritional protein paste.”

“Ugh, that sounds awful!” Rissa exclaimed, buttering a fluffy cloud roll and taking a bite.

“It is quite bland,” James admitted. He sat and began to serve himself and, as he did, Rissa reached under her plate and found the much-folded copy of Lady TittleTattle’s Breadcrumbs and began to read.

Gentle Reader, the Crumbs began, as always,

Have we ever seen such excitement as we did last night at Court? For our dear Princess Ka’rissa has a new Constant Companion and chaperone—and it is a man!

Rissa felt a tremor of uncertainty in her belly, but the next paragraph put her mind at ease.

Never fear, however, dear reader that anything improper is afoot, for the Princess’s new Companion only looks like a man. In actuality, he is a robot, which he proved with a rather singular display of acrobatics and strength in the Royal Reception Hall as he was being announced to the Steward. After showing himself more than capable of protecting the Princess from any further attempts on her life, he was invested as her Constant Companion and chaperone by the Steward himself.

The new Companion proved his worth almost at once as the dear Princess began to overheat and fainted. Sir Robot—as he shall henceforth be called—caught her and cooled her with his rather frightening metal hand, after which she revived beautifully and was even able to dance at the ball!

And who did she dance with? My Dear Readers, she danced with her new Companion the most, for Sir Robot is no ordinary, clumsy butler droid. He spun our lovely Princess around the Grand Ballroom in style, scarcely allowing anyone else to claim a dance—even the dastardly Duke Grabbington, who was seen to be angling for a chance with the Princess all night. He got only one dance, however, before Sir Robot came to his new lady’s rescue and refused the Duke any more dances with her. The Duke was said to be livid with rage, but as he has been involved in the ruination of some very fine ladies, including the hapless Miss Prunella Ascott only last Season, this author cannot find it in her heart to feel the least bit sorry for him.

And what of Princess Ka’rissa’s old Companion, the once esteemed Lady Mildew? Well, Gentle Reader, I fear I must report that she has come down in the world and lost most of her status since she had been replaced by Sir Robot. This author pities her, thought to be honest, she never seemed to have much affection for our dear Princess. One may hope that she will enjoy a quiet retirement, out of the public eye now that another has taken her place.

So things appear to be looking up for our lovely Princess. She has a dashing new Companion and she is a better dancer than ever! Yet, her episode of overheating in the Reception Hall last night still gives one cause for concern. Might we hope that soon the Steward will announce some new suitors for her hand? Perhaps some that are more of her age this time? We would not wish for her to share the unhappy fate of her dear Mama and I fear that rumors will start against the Steward if he allows such a thing to happen. For, as he alone can approve Princess Ka’rissa’s suitors, it is to be hoped he approves some very soon, so that she may marry and finally ascend the throne to rule our bodies, as she already rules our hearts.

And that, Dear Reader, is all I have to report at present. As always, keep watching for the next issue of Breadcrumbs if you wish to keep abreast of the latest Court news.

I remain your humble and obedient servant,

Lady TittleTattle.

Rissa gave a sigh of relief as she finished the scandal rag and her cloud bun at the same time. Thank goodness Lady TittleTattle hadn’t found fault with her having James as her new Companion! Had she communicated even a whiff of impropriety to the Court, Rissa would have been in danger of losing her good reputation. But as it was, the mysterious Lady TittleTattle seemed to be on her side—at least for now.

“What are you reading?” James asked her. “Whatever it is, it seems to have made you happy. You’re smiling, which is usually an indication of positive emotions.”

“Oh, it is the latest copy of the Breadcrumbs,” Rissa told him, and explained about the scandal sheet and how it was published every few days to the simultaneous delight and horror of the Court.

He nodded.

“Yes, Commander Sylvan gave me a copy of one issue to read when he was explaining your situation and my mission. What does this issue say?”

“Would you like to read it?” Rissa asked, offering it to him across the table.

“Yes, thank you.” He took it and the metal scope on the right side of his head extended and covered his right eye. Rissa watched with interest as a red light projected from the scope onto the paper. In what seemed like only a second, James was handing the paper back to her and the scope was resuming its place at his right temple.

“You read it that quickly?” Rissa asked, awed.

He nodded and shrugged.

“It seems to have mostly complimentary things to say about both of us, which I take to be a good thing for your reputation?”

“Yes, very good.” Rissa nodded and took a sip of her thistledown tea. “Though no one knows who she is, Lady TittleTattle has the power to ruin reputations. In fact, Duke Grabbington was much more accepted in the highest social circles before she exposed him for ruining poor Prunella Ascott. Now he is rather looked down upon, despite his grand title. I heard that he was refused an invitation to Lady Isolde’s Mid-Summerball only the other week.”

James nodded.

“Then I assume Duke Grabbington will not be pleased with this issue.” He frowned. “And neither will Lady Mildew, I suspect.”

Rissa sighed unhappily.

“I am afraid you are right. I wish Lady TittleTattle hadn’t tweaked her tail! She’s already mad about being replaced as my Companion—it doesn’t do any good to rub her nose in it!”

“Do you think she’ll try to take some kind of vengeance on you?” James frowned threateningly. “She had better not.”

“I doubt she’d try an assassination attempt, if that’s what you mean,” Rissa said, feeling troubled. “Unless it was a character assassination,” she added.

“She had better not try any kind of assassination.” James’s voice dropped to a low, protective growl. “I won’t let her hurt you, Princess. I swear it on my life as a Kindred warrior.”

“Well…thank you, James, but if Lady Mildew wants to start a rumor about me, there’s nothing you can really do about it. It’s not like she’s a man and you could call her out for a duel.”

“A duel?” he frowned. “Explain, please.”

“Oh, it is a contest of honor. When a man feels another man has offended him or the lady he is protecting, he calls the other man out to fight at dawn. They choose weapons and attempt to kill each other.” She shuddered. “It is quite a barbaric practice, actually, and the Steward has attempted to outlaw it, but the gentlemen just won’t stop.” She shook her head.

“Speaking of ‘gentlemen’ what does er, Lady TittleTattle mean when she talks about there being rumors against the Steward if he doesn’t approve some new suitors for you soon?” James raised an eyebrow at her. “And why has he not approved any to date, since you appear to need one to control your Heat Cycle?”

“Oh, he has.” Rissa sighed. “But both of the suitors he approved were so very inappropriate. One was old enough to be my grandfather and the other was more like a little brother than a man I would wish to marry.”

She explained in more detail about the two disastrous suitors and how she’d had to turn them both down.

“Lady Mildew was angry and disapproving, of course,” she added. “She said that either one would have made an excellent Royal Consort, but I disagreed.”

“Because of their ages?” James asked.

“Well, that and…” Rissa picked apart another cloud bun, letting the pieces fall to her plate. “That and the fact that I did not wish to let either of them touch me or…or kiss me,” she admitted, keeping her eyes on the bun. “The idea quite turned my stomach, though I know I shouldn’t be so picky. Whoever I choose as my Consort must…must slake my Heat. And even though I’m not sure what that entails, I am certain I don’t want a man I am not attracted to doing it to me—whatever it is.”

James frowned.

“You were perfectly within your rights to refuse unsuitable suitors. Why would the Steward pick males of such wrong ages in the first place?”

Rissa shrugged.

“I do not know. Possibly because he is old and tired and doesn’t remember what it’s like to be young and wish for someone you care for to hold you.”

She looked up at him shyly, thinking of how the big Kindred had held her all night. Then she reminded herself that James was a cyborg without emotions and holding her had probably meant nothing to him. Besides, he would never be approved as a suitor—he had no Royal blood at all and his skin had not the least bit of Sheen to it.

“Well, I think you ought to find out more about the slaking process so you can choose a suitor accordingly,” he said decisively.

“Oh, but that is forbidden knowledge!” Rissa protested.

James frowned again.

“No knowledge about your own body should be forbidden to you,” he growled. “It’s ridiculous! It’s—”

But just then there was a brisk rapping at the door and Liza stuck her head in again.

“Oh my Lady!” she exclaimed breathlessly. “You’re wanted in the Throne Room at once!”

“The Throne Room? At this time of day?” Rissa frowned. “Whatever for, Liza?”

“It’s the Steward, himself!” Liza’s eyes were wide. “Whispers among the servants have it that he’s read the latest Breadcrumbs and he didn’t like what Lady TittleTattle had to say about rumors flying against him for not finding you the right kind of suitors!”

“Really?” Rissa was already on her feet. “I didn’t know my Uncle read the Crumbs.”

“Well, it seems he does, my Lady,” Liza exclaimed. “And rumor has it he’s set to announce a new suitor for you right away!”

Then she scurried away, leaving Rissa feeling breathless and slightly ill.