~ Queen of My Country, Queen of My Heart ~
by Alex Tryst
Copyright © November 2002

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Disclaimers: See Part 1

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Part 2

Chapter Three: And So the Dance Begins

A month later the conference began in Washington, D.C. Lara stayed in the town palace with Alexa for the duration, while the king and queen were away for some private time. Since Gwen had a place of her own in the city, the princess was given her first real opportunity to have alone time with the teacher. One the first night of the conference a gala was held at the palace for all the nations’ representatives, so Lara dressed her best for the formal occasion. Alexa had gone out of her way to make sure she had everything she needed, even going so far as sending Alfred with the teacher on a shopping trip to prepare, with her majesty paying for the blonde’s new dress.

During that time alone with Alfred, Lara was entertained by stories of a young Alexa, which amused her greatly. She also had the chance to learn more about Alfred, finding that he had been in the family’s service since before Alexa was born. The man spoke about the future ruler with such open affection and admiration that Lara’s opinion of the princess began to shift to a more favorable one.

That night as she stood in front of her full length mirror looking over herself and the elegant black evening gown, she wondered what the night would hold. She pondered how the princess would act in front of such a large crowd. Lara knew that the informal manner in which she had started addressing Alexa and Gwen was not allowed at the function, even though over the course of the past few months, she felt like she had gained two new friends in them. Just then a knock broke her musings. Going to the door, she asked who it was. When Alfred announced himself, she opened it quickly.

“Alfred, hi. What do you need?” she questioned with a smile.

“Her majesty wanted to know if you might like to borrow this for the evening?” he asked opening the jewelry case he was holding.

Lara felt her heart stop for a moment as her blue eyes widened in surprise. Within the box was a stunning diamond necklace worth more than the teacher could even fathom. “Oh, my. Alfred, is she sure?”

He nodded. “She thought it would go well with your dress. Would you allow me?” he inquired taking it out and holding it in front of her. Lara leaned in a little, so he could clasp it around her neck. Stepping back Alfred gave a smile. “There you go, Miss Monroe. You are a beauty.”

She blushed lightly. “Thank you, Alfred, and thank Alexa for me.”

“Certainly. She was wondering if she could escort you in this evening unless you have made other arrangements.”

“No. I was just going to go alone.”

“Then she would like to be your escort. May I tell her that you will meet her at her room in a few minutes?”

“Okay.” she answered hesitantly.

“Wonderful. She’ll be pleased to hear that. Well, I will see you in there.”

Closing the door again, the blonde raced back to the mirror to look at herself. The diamonds shimmered in the light, and the small woman felt faint at the thought of what she was wearing. She thought for sure she had seen the queen herself in the necklace. Knowing that Alexa was expecting her, she made her way to the tall woman’s quarters. When she gave a knock, Alfred was there to answer and allow her inside, but then he was gone, leaving the two women alone.

Alexa was still in the bathroom, leaving Lara a moment to look around the large room. It was elaborately decorated with antiques, but the linens on the bed were tiger stripes, making the blonde giggle lightly at the young heir’s personality infiltrating the grand room. Books and papers were strewn about the bed, so letting curiosity guide her, Lara made her way closer. Most everything was in reference to the conference, but something unusual caught her attention. There was a report with her name within the text and several highlighted sections. Instinctively she picked it up and started reading.

Her stomach dropped as she realized the whole paper was about her. It was information that she had not shared with the princess, so she wondered how it had been acquired. As she continued to read, her anger surfaced for Alexa’s deliberate inquisition of her life. As she came to the section about her boyfriend, Ryan, she lost her temper as intimate details were there in writing, including the fact that she was still a virgin.

“Oh, I didn’t hear you come in.” Alexa mentioned seeing the blonde by her bed, making Lara jump in surprise.

The blonde turned her scowl on the princess. Totally forgetting exactly whom she was addressing, she thrust the paper into the brunette’s chest angrily. “How dare you do this to me? What gives you the right to invade my privacy?” she yelled, blue eyes turning stormy in her indignation. “Why did you have people investigate me?”

Taken back by the fury of the little woman, Alexa stuttered incoherently for a moment. “Uh, I, um, wanted to know more about you.” she feebly explained.

“You could’ve asked! I would have told you anything you might have wanted to know! What gives you the right to inquire into my intimate life? Who wrote these things about Ryan and me? How did you find out anything about our relationship? Why is this whole section about Ryan highlighted? Why do you care about him so much?”

Alexa sighed. She knew the answer to that question, but she wasn’t ready to admit it to the blonde. Seeing the infuriation of the small woman though, she wondered if it would be better just to be honest with her. “I wanted to know what my competition was like.” she confessed quietly.

“What? What competition? What are you talking about?” Lara asked in confusion at first. However when Alexa didn’t respond, she realized what the princess was alluding to.

“I’ll be honest with you, Lara. I needed to know some things about you. This really isn’t the time to discuss this. I have much to say, but we’re needed in the ballroom. I’m terribly sorry that I have upset you, and I will explain myself. However may I ask that this wait until tomorrow evening? I really can’t do this right now.” she pleaded.

The blonde didn’t let her off so easy however as she screamed, “I don’t care that the whole world is waiting on you! I want my answers, and I want them now!”

Even though Alexa could have allowed her own temper to guide her, she took several calming breaths. “Very well. Wait here.” she replied going over to her phone. Quickly she called Alfred and informed him that she was running late due to a serious situation that had to be seen to immediately.

As Lara watched the princess on the phone, she realized that the tall woman was angry, very angry by the way she held her posture, and it dawned on her that she had just berated her sovereign in a fit of rage. Lara realized that she had truly overstepped her boundaries that time and wondered exactly how the princess was going to respond. Seeing dark eyes turn to her, she felt her body tremble in anxiety. “Your majesty,” she squeaked.

“Sit down, Lara.” Alexa commanded crossing her arms across her chest. “I want you to come sit right here on the couch.”

The teacher quickly did as she was told, as to not further infuriate the brunette. “Sire, I’m so sorry. I lost my temper. I never should have said what I did.” she tried to apologize, but Alexa cut her off.

“Be quiet, Lara. You want to know why I had you investigated, I’m going to tell you, but you have to keep your mouth closed!” Alexa barked unable to control herself. As much as she loved the woman in front of her, the blonde was her bane when it came to her emotions. She wanted to kiss and kill her with equally intensity at times.

“Yes, sire.” meekly the petite woman answered, knowing that she had pushed the tall woman too far. Anxiously she waited for Alexa to begin speaking. The princess looked down at the blue eyes she adored. Seeing their dread she knew she was going about this in completely the wrong way. Turning her back on Lara, she gave herself a moment to calm herself. The moment of truth was at hand, and even though Alexa didn’t feel she was ready, she knew now was the time for her to disclose her feelings and intentions.

Taking a deep breath, she looked back at the blonde again. She took a seat on the coffee table directly in front of the teacher and leaned forward propping her arms up on her thighs. “Lara, when I first met you, I was intrigued. I wanted to know you better as more than a friend. Additionally I wanted to know you as more than a lover. From the moment of our first meeting, I have fantasized about what it might be like to have you for my queen.” she quietly admitted. Lara felt herself stop breathing, but she didn’t say anything as Alexa had ordered her not to speak. “Lara, you may or may not know this, but currently there is a law that someone of my place should only marry a person of nobility. That’s why I had Alfred hire some investigators. I wanted to see if you could be traced to anyone of historical or political importance, because I was hoping to make a case to my father for an exception. However that won’t be necessary now as you have been traced to a noble.” Pausing for a moment, she reached for the blonde’s quivering hands. Looking upon the teacher with all the tenderness she felt, the princess slid onto her knees. “Lara, I know you have a boyfriend, but I also know that you have not had relations with him or anyone else, making this even easier than I thought it might be. You give me the impression that I am not your favorite person in the world, but you are mine. As you know my father is extremely ill and the doctors give him less than a year. He has asked me to marry before the year is over, and I told him that I would. My choice for marriage is you, Lara. Please? I am offering you the crown. Will you take it by joining with me to lead this country? Will you marry me, Miss Monroe?”

“Marry you?” Lara repeated in utter shock.

“Yes, marry me, Lara.”

The teacher sat there for a moment trying in vain to wrap her mind around the idea of what Alexa had just proposed, but she couldn’t. Pulling her hands away from the brunette’s she rubbed her forehead. “Honestly, Lex, I don’t know what to say to that.” she confessed.

“Well, at least tell me that you’ll consider it? If I don’t marry who I want, then I’m going to be forced to marry for political reasons. Gwen and I don’t want to marry each other, but we’ll have to if you do not wish to sit beside me.”

Still trying to come to terms with what had just been said, Lara stated, “Lex, I don’t love you that way.”

“You don’t have to. You just have to like me, and we have to be able to get along in public. This arrangement can be whatever we make of it. There will be obligations for you to fulfill such as having my children and at least pretending we’re happy in front of the press, but other than that, we can still remain only friends if that’s what you want.”

“Do you love me, Alexa? Is that why you’re asking this of me?” she questioned in confusion.

“I’ll admit, Lara, that I do love you. I’ve been trying to hide that fact, but I’d rather not have to. I love you, and I think I will continue to do so. It would make me extremely happy for you to accept my proposal. As I said though, we can make this arrangement whatever we so choose. I am willing to work out an amiable agreement with you. I really want to discuss it with you further, but the world is waiting for me downstairs right now. I really have to get down there. Please. Tell me you’ll at least be open to discussing this further before giving me an answer?” hopefully she asked. Lara looked at the dark eyes of her future queen and saw so clearly the love the sovereign had for her. Not knowing what to do, she simply gave a nod in response to the question. “Wonderful. Now let’s go. I believe I am supposed to be escorting you in.”

Quietly the pair made their way downstairs to the ballroom. Alfred was there waiting and looking concerned, but he never asked what the delay was, only moved to inform everyone that Princess Alexa was about to make her entrance. It took a few minutes for people to get settled, standing on either side of the ballroom in a long line to watch her procession. When Alfred came back to them, he smiled at Lara. He handed Alexa her crown to place on her head. The princess rolled her eyes in annoyance but did as her secretary silently instructed. Alexa grinned at the small woman as well as she extended her arm. Lara took a hold of it just above the elbow before Alexa nodded in Alfred’s direction.

He moved to the entrance of the ballroom and formally and loudly announced, “Her majesty, the crowned princess of America, Alexa Washington escorting Miss Lara Monroe.”

Allowing the tall woman to lead her, Lara eyed the crowd. Everyone bowed to them as they passed and murmured quietly amongst themselves. The teacher had no doubt she was the subject of such speculation as she was not only on the arm of the princess, she was wearing family jewelry, and Alexa was making an obvious show of her affection for the little blonde by smiling sweetly at her. Moving her to the end of the room, Alexa took Lara to her seat and in an unprecedented gesture, pulled the chair out for the blonde before looking at her expectantly. Realizing the princess was waiting until she was seated to take her own, Lara suddenly felt a wave of authority overcome her. She realized everyone in the room was waiting on her to take their seats, including her sovereign even though it was usually the royal family that sat first.

“Thank you, Lex.” she whispered softly sitting.

“My pleasure.” Alexa replied with a smile sitting next to her.

As soon as the brunette was in her chair, the congregation began to disburse and find their own tables for the dinner. Gwen came toward them though before going to her own table and gave a large grin. “Well, you look lovely this evening, Lara.” she complimented. “Queen Victoria’s necklace looks even better on you than it does her.”

“Thank you, Lady Jefferson.” she responded. Her thoughts strayed to the fact that if she took Alexa’s hand in marriage it would be Gwen bowing to her, an intriguing image the teacher admitted to herself. As much as she did like Gwen, the woman did have an air of superiority about her, one that most people catered to as the teacher had in the beginning. “You look beautiful yourself as usual.”

“Thank you, Lara.” Turning her eyes to Alexa, she commented, “Doesn’t Princess Alexa look stunning too? That suit on her just makes her look all the sexier. That red shirt sets off the rubies in her crown.”

Lara looked over at Alexa who was already busy speaking to other people at the table. She did think that the princess looked especially handsome in her crown, but she didn’t voice those thoughts. Instead she said, “She does look nice.”

“Well, enjoy your dinner. I have rounds to make. Excuse me.”

Over the meal Lara watched Alexa in action. She had a natural way with people, a magnetism that drew people in. Lara could see that she would be a powerful leader if she was already able to sway people’s opinions as a princess. As she sat there pretending to attentively listen, she pondered what her life would be like as Alexa’s queen. Everyone in that room would have bowed to her as she processed with the brunette that night. Not only that they would have gone out of their way to impress the blonde. Suddenly the idea of being on Alexa’s arm didn’t seem as foreign to her as it had a few minutes earlier in the evening. It might not be so bad to be in the position the princess had requested of her.

However she wasn’t sure she could come to love the future queen. She had feelings of friendship for the tall woman, but she knew if she married the woman, there would be some sexual responsibilities that came with the role she would be asked to play. First and foremost she would have to pretend that she was as in love with the princess as the brunette was with her. Secondly she would be responsible for producing heirs to the throne. She knew it would be ideal to have at least two children with Alexa to assure the succession of the Washington name. The more thought she gave to the proposition, she realized that Alexa had requested a life of servitude from her. It was true that with this service came great benefits, but the idea of not being able to marry for love bothered her.

It wasn’t as if Ryan was a large obstacle. She did care about him, but in her heart she knew he was not her true love, making the idea of separation from him not difficult. However looking at the stately woman sitting next to her, she was unsure whether or not she could ever truly and completely love the princess with the passion and magnitude she wished for her longtime partner.

Once the meal was over, people were simply wandering around conversing with each other. Lara watched them all from her position at the head table as she listened to the orchestra play. However it struck her as odd that no one was dancing even though there was a large floor designed for that purpose. Just then Alexa leaned over to her ear and quietly asked, “Having fun?” Lara nodded. “Lex, why isn’t anyone dancing?” she asked curiously.

The dark-haired woman grinned. “Because they are waiting on me to do so first. Protocol demands it. I guess I should go ahead and take a turn about the floor just in case someone wants to. Would you like to dance, Lara?”

“Um, okay.” she stated.

With her answer Alexa stood and extended her hand to the blonde. She led Lara over to the dance floor and took the little woman in her embrace, one hand around her petite waist and the other clasping the teacher’s hand. Gently the princess began to guide the teacher around the floor. Lara noticed that within moments other couples joined them. One song led to another and then several more before the blonde requested a break. Alexa complied escorting her back to the table.

“You’ll have to excuse me, Lara. I really should do some mingling now. As much as I would love to just stay right here with you, duty calls.” she explained.

“Go ahead. I’m fine.” With a small nod of her head Alexa turned and waded through the sea of guests. However Lara wasn’t alone for more than a moment before people approached her.

A few hours later Lara was still engrossed in conversation when her eyes sought out her sovereign, wondering what she could be doing. Blue eyes found the princess on the dance floor, tightly enfolded in Gwen’s arms. The tall blonde had her arms securely around Alexa’s neck, elegant fingers threaded through her majesty’s short thick hair. In turn Alexa’s arms were around Gwen’s waist, roaming lightly over her back as their hips ground together in a slow rhythm. It was obvious by the way Lady Jefferson was laughing that the princess had just said something witty. Lara felt an unfamiliar gnawing in her stomach at the sight. The two women looked quite comfortable with each other to Lara, even more so than either of them had ever admitted, once again making the teacher wonder about their relationship. She thought she knew them well enough to know they were only friends, but this display in such a public forum left her with doubts suddenly. Gwen was so stunningly beautiful and graceful that Lara didn’t see how Alexa could resist such a woman, making her wonder why the princess had even made her proposal. She didn’t feel as if she could match Lady Jefferson’s sense of style and power, and all the feelings of confidence she had entered the ballroom with abruptly disappeared, leaving her deflated.

She excused herself from her present company intent on leaving the gala for the evening as she suddenly wasn’t feeling social, but as she made her way for the door, a hand on her arm stopped her. Quickly she turned to scowl at its owner when she realized it was only Alfred. “Miss Monroe, would you care to dance?” he offered. Lara looked toward the dance floor. “I can explain their behavior.” he mentioned guessing what was bothering the little woman.

“All right.” she conceded.

The older man took her to the floor and began to lead her. “Lara, please don’t be upset with Alexa. It’s only an act.” he stated.

“An act? That looks pretty real to me. How could she do that after what she has done tonight?”

“Lara, she mentioned to me that she had proposed to you. She loves you, but she’s not sure you feel the same. One of you two ladies will become her queen. I wish it would be you.” he said looking into her eyes. “Don’t get me wrong. I do like Gwyneth, but Alexa loves you, and I want her happiness. Alexa will give you both equal attention until you have made up your mind, because she doesn’t want the press reading too much into either relationship. However I am sure they will be thrilled to write about what has occurred this evening. Do you realize you are the first woman other than her mother to ever be on the Alexa’s arm when she has made an entrance?”

“No. I didn’t know that. She hasn’t even asked to escort Gwen?”

“No. I mean the press has seen her with Gwen, but she’s never escorted Gwen for something formal like this. She made her preference for you known to the world tonight when she pulled out your chair. She’s never done that for Gwen.” Lara took another look at Alexa and Gwen who seemed completely involved with each other. Alfred’s words were contradicting what she was seeing, so she wasn’t sure what to believe. “Lara, are you jealous of Gwen?” he inquired.

“No, of course not. I just don’t like it. If she were serious about her proposal, she wouldn’t do this.”

“Lara, you have to understand what Lex is going through. She has a lot of pressure on her for marriage right now. She needs to look as if she’s serious about it. If I’m not mistaken, you have a boyfriend, don’t you?” The blonde nodded. “Well, Alexa doesn’t want to drive a wedge between the two of you. She wants you to make your decision about her with the understanding that if you say no, you still have someone to go back to. She wants you to be happy as well, Lara. She doesn’t want to break up your relationship with your boyfriend if you really would rather be with him by acting so intimately with you. She’s already made her intentions known by her actions here tonight. She won’t do more without your permission, because she respects you and your position. She’s trying to give you space to make up your mind.”

“Really? Is that truly all, Alfred?”

He nodded. “Lara, she wants to be with you, and she wants to marry you. Alexa can give you everything you ever wanted. Why not take her up on her offer?” he asked.

“She can’t give me love, Alfred.” she stated.

“Do you think you’ll never come to feel for her the way she feels for you?”

“I really don’t know. I’ve never been attracted to women, Alfred. It’s true she can give me things, but I’m wondering if it is enough to make up for the lack of love I will endure.”

“You will not be short on love, Lara. Alexa adores you. She has ever since she laid eyes on you. Don’t you feel it in the way she is with you?”

Lara looked over at the princess. “I have felt it tonight.” she confessed.

“Lara, the most powerful woman in the entire world loves you. That’s an honor no other woman can claim, not even Gwyneth Jefferson. Surely you can love her.”

“I do love her, Alfred, as my sovereign and as my friend. I just don’t know if I can look upon her the way she looks upon me. Is that fair to take the hand of the future queen when I know those feelings aren’t returned?”

“It’s what she wants. Lara, she knows what she’s doing. If she didn’t want you, she wouldn’t have asked. She wants to take you as her queen. It is the greatest honor that could ever be bestowed on any woman in this country.”

“But the price I will pay for such a position.” she stated.

“Talk to her. I know she’s willing to do whatever you want in order to make this reality. I know she will be amiable to whatever you need. She’s a woman in love, Lara. Give her a chance.”

The teacher shook her head in confusion. “I still don’t know how this happened. We’ve only known each other for three months. How can she be so sure that I am the one she wants?”

Alfred shrugged. “Love is a strange thing, and royals often have to do without it. Most royal marriages happen for circumstances other than love. She didn’t want that to happen to her, but it’s going to at the end of this year whether or not she’s ready. The only hope she has to marry for love is with you, Lara. She’d rather take her chances with you than marry Gwen. They will never have anything more than a friendship, but she hopes that more can become of her relationship with you. However she knows that it might not be possible, that you may never feel for her what she does for you. Regardless of that though she wants to take that chance. At the very least she’ll be marrying a friend. The country needs a queen on her arm right now. The country needs you, Lara. There is great honor in serving one’s nation. This is your opportunity.”

Lara sighed. Alfred’s words were even more moving than the brunette’s, making Lara wonder if she really could go through with what Alexa had suggested. She just didn’t know. Turning to her dance partner, she smiled. “Alfred, thank you for the dance and talk. I think I’m going to retire now. Please let Alexa know, will you?”

“Certainly. May I escort you back to your quarters?”

“I’ll be all right alone. Thank you though.”

“Very well.” he replied. Taking her by the hands, he bowed slightly as he raised them to his lips, kissing the back of each one. “Pleasant dreams, Princess Lara.” he whispered quietly.

“Good night, Alfred.” she said moving away. Inside her heart was fluttering in confusion at his words. The very idea that she would hold the title he had so casually whispered further fueled her turmoil.

Heading back to her room, she immediately called her parents. When her mother answered, she stated, “Lara, I was just watching the news. I saw you on the arm of the princess. What were you wearing? Where did you get that necklace?”

“It’s Queen Victoria’s. Alexa let me borrow it.” she replied.

“You’re wearing the queen’s jewelry? Lara, what’s going on?”

“Mother, you wouldn’t believe it if I told you.” she said softly.

“I think I’d believe anything at this point. Tell me.”

“I really don’t want to talk about it right now. I promise I’ll tell you when I get back in town. I’m coming home this weekend to see Ryan anyway. We’ll talk about it then.”

“All right but I’m here for you, honey. You know you can tell me anything.”

“I know, and I want to talk to you and Daddy about it but not over the phone. Anyway, so how are you two doing?” she inquired trying to change the subject.

The following morning Alexa and Lara met for breakfast together before the conference. As they sat alone on the terrace in awkwardness, Alexa kept looking over at the teacher intently. She wanted to discuss what was on her mind, but she wasn’t sure how to approach the subject. Unable to think of any way to do it delicately, she came right out and asked, “Lara, would you like to discuss the proposal this morning?”

The blonde’s heart froze for a moment. Knowing she would not be able to avoid it, she decided to just go ahead. “What would you like to discuss about it, Lex?”

“Have you thought about it?”

“Yes.” plainly she responded.

“Have you come to a decision?”

“No, I haven’t. I was wondering though. You said that we could make this arrangement whatever we wanted. What exactly did you mean by that?”

“I meant that we could come to a formal agreement, a contract of sorts I suppose. We get married, we have some kids, and at some point in the future if you find yourself truly unhappy, I will release you from your obligation.”

“You mean you would grant me a divorce in the future if I so chose?”

“Yes. I obviously hope it would not come to that, Lara, because I love you, and I want to be with you. It is my greatest wish that someday you return that love, but I truly just want you to be happy. My proposal would be that after we’ve had three children you could leave, but I would take care of you financially for the rest of your life. You would retain your title, Queen of America, Lara Washington. Of course that is assuming that I take over the throne during our marriage, which seems likely at this point. Otherwise you would just be Princess of America, Lara Washington. Either way you would retain that title and all the privileges that go with it. Well, you would unless you remarry anyway. I think I’m asking for about a five year commitment depending on how quickly you can get pregnant.”

“What of the responsibilities?”

“Those you would have to retain as well. Once a royal, always a royal, Lara. You wouldn’t be able to return to teaching. However I could see that you have a permanent place on the national board of education, and you can still carry on your mission of reaching children through that medium.”

“So, I would definitely have to give up teaching for good?”

“Unfortunately yes. However from a financial position, you’ll be taken care of, and you could have great influence on the board. There are other ways of achieving your personal goals, which I am all for, Lara.”

“Okay. What about our public relationship? What would be expected of me?”

“I would expect that you act as if you and I are happily married. You will not shy away from my touch or affection in public. We give the impression that we are truly made for each other. The country needs to see that. I would also expect that you have three children by me.”

“How would you propose to accomplish that?”

“Medical technology. We could do it different ways. One option would be to use my eggs, and you carry. Another option would be to combine our DNA, and you carry. Of course I could just clone myself and have you carry.”

“I’m beginning to get the idea, Lex. You really want me to be a surrogate mother.”

“Yes. I don’t have time for pregnancy myself, but you will. You would simply be a surrogate unless we combine the DNA, which I would love to do. The children would most definitely be ours together that way, but they would also only be girls. However the idea of our children growing inside of you is a rather pleasant one I admit.”

Lara nodded. She knew she could not offer the same sort of sentiment, so she remained silent about it. “All right. That’s the public life. What about our private one? What happens there? What would you expect of me?”

“I would expect us to remain friends. I expect a consummation of our marriage, but after that has taken place, I won’t expect any sort of sexual favors unless you are so inclined to give them. I know you don’t feel that way for me, Lara, so I don’t want to put you in a position of resenting me.”

“But you do want to have sexual relations with me at least once then, huh?” she asked nervously. “You want to be the one to deflower me so to speak?”

Alexa leaned closer to her, staring deeply into blue eyes. “Lara, I am the crowned princess of this country. I am used to getting my way. I am requiring one night in your bed. That point is nonnegotiable. You will give yourself to me for an entire night. After that point you will be free to have relations with whomever you choose as long as you do not conceive from any of those activities. If that happens the whole agreement becomes null and void. If someone other than me impregnates you, you will be stripped of your title, divorced, ostracized by society, and left to fend for yourself. That would be standard protocol. On that point we must be absolutely clear.” firmly she stated. “Now I am prepared to put all of this in a prenuptial agreement and whatever else you might want. Just tell me what you require, and it is yours. Is there anything that we have discussed that would pose a problem for you?”

Lara shrugged. “I think what you’ve said thus far is reasonable. As far as whether it poses a problem, I’ll be honest with you, Lex. The consummation of marriage does not sit well with me.”

“Nonnegotiable.” Alex stated in unshakable resolve.

“Nonnegotiable.” the blonde mumbled with a nod of her head.

“Lara, I promise it will not be as horrible as you are thinking it might.” she said moving her chair closer to the little woman. She leaned toward the blonde’s ear, nuzzling the teacher’s fair hair as she whispered, “I can be a gentle lover, Lara, attentive and caring. I can give you pleasure you’ve never known. I won’t hurt you.” The brunette’s hand came up to Lara’s cheek, cupping it gently and turning it so their eyes could meet momentarily. “I just want to love you.” she confessed quietly leaning to the blonde’s mouth. Lara’s eyes reflexively closed as soft lips met her own. Arms embraced her, pulling her closer to the powerful woman as Alexa probed delicately into her mouth. Lara just allowed the princess access, unsure of exactly how to respond. As the kiss continued on for several seconds, the blonde couldn’t help but notice that the princess was indeed a good kisser, but the thought of having sex with her suddenly made Lara pull away. Alexa just looked at her expectantly. Lara took a few calming breaths.

“I think we need to get going. It’s getting late.” she mentioned consulting her watch.

Alexa nodded. “Think some more, Lara, and we’ll talk again.”

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Chapter Four: The Decision

That Friday evening Lara made her way back to Nashville for the weekend since the conference was in hiatus until Monday. Even though it was a distance to travel for such a short period, she desperately needed to see her family to find some solace. Instead of staying at her own place for those few days though, she opted to stay with her parents. When her mother picked her up from the airport, the teacher hugged her tightly, relaying emotions that she was having difficulty in expressing. Her mother just gave her a supportive smile and helped her daughter to the car.

When they were in the privacy of their vehicle on their way back to the house, her mother reached over to take her daughter’s hand. “Lara, what is it? Why is your heart so heavy, my child?”

“Mom, do you remember when we had dinner with Princess Alexa and Lady Jefferson here in Nashville, and you commented on the way home that you thought the princess had an interest in me?”

“Of course. I still think that. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t even know if you’ll believe this. I still don’t know if I can.” she admitted. “Lex asked me to marry her.”

“What? Why? How?” Katherine asked in surprise.

“Well, apparently she found out about our connection with John Hancock. She had our family investigated for the purpose of asking her father for an exception in proposing to me. However now she knows that isn’t necessary. The way she asked wasn’t how I thought it would be. I had actually lost my temper with her, and she took it, Mother. Princess Alexa allowed me to berate her, and then when I demanded to know why she had invaded my private life, she told me it was because she wanted to marry me. She knelt on her knees right there in her bedroom and proposed.”

“What did she say when you refused?” her mother asked curiously.

Lara paused for a moment before saying, “I haven’t refused her.”

“You accepted?”

“No, I haven’t done either. We are discussing it.” Lara informed her.

“Lara, are you serious? You are actually considering this? I thought you were opposed to this kind of thing. When I mentioned it the first time, you sounded as if you wouldn’t do something like this. What changed your mind?”

“I haven’t changed my mind. I just don’t know what to do. She offers something so tempting in some respects. However I don’t love her, and I’m not sure I can marry someone I don’t love. If I don’t marry her though, she will marry Gwen at the end of this year, because the king has requested this of her. What do I do, Mom?”

“Honey, I have no idea. I would not even begin to know how to answer such a question.”

“Do you think it would be wrong to accept, because I don’t love her?” Katherine shrugged. “Does she love you, Lara?”

“She says she does, and I believe it. Ever since she asked, I can see the way she feels. She made it obvious at that gala.”

“Lara, I don’t know what to tell you. Your father and I would only be able to support you on whatever you chose. We could never make that decision for you. The princess has asked you to marry her. That is something that doesn’t happen every day. There is a lot she is offering you.”

“Yes and there is a lot of responsibility that goes with it. It’s not the responsibility that concerns me though, Mom.”

“What does? Is it Ryan?”

“No. I care about him, but I know I will never marry him.”

“Then what is the issue?”

Lara shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the thought of what Alexa desired from her. It was difficult for her to even think about much less vocalize, but she wanted desperately to lay her burden on someone else. “Princess Alexa has made it very clear that she has sexual interest in me.” the teacher stated quietly.

“Of course she does. A woman like her would. You have a lot to offer her as well, Lara.”

“But it’s the reality of being physical with her that bothers me, Mother. I don’t know if I can do it.”

“Is that the only thing keeping you from saying yes?”

Lara shrugged. “It’s the biggest thing. She’s made her demands quiet clear. She wants access to me sexually in order to consummate our marriage, but she swears she will not ask for more.”

“Do you not believe her? Is that the problem?”

“Strangely I do believe her. It’s the thought of doing what she wants though. The thought of her touching me that way, her hands on me or worse her mouth. It kind of turns my stomach.”

“But the only thing she has asked for is the consummation? That’s only one night, Lara. Do you think you can get through that to what lies on the other side?”

“I guess, but I’m not sure. I mean she kissed me earlier this week, and it wasn’t terrible. I just can’t get to the thought of us in bed together doing you know.”

“One night, Lara. How long is that really? Think about it. How long do you actually think she could last? Surely she would tire herself out after a couple of hours.”

“I don’t know, Mom. When she says all night, I honestly think she means that. I think she means being active the entire night. She strikes me as being able to do that.”

“All right. Suppose she does. How long could that really be? Ten hours, probably less. That’s all it would be for a crown of your own and unfathomable access to anything you want.”

“Mom, listen to yourself. That would be like torture for me. I’m not a prostitute, and right now I feel like I will become one if I say yes.” “Then say no, Lara. Tell the future queen of our country that you will not marry her. The fact that you haven’t done that yet, tells me that there is something you’re still unsure about. What is it?” her mother asked.

“I know this is going to sound so selfish, especially since Gwen has become my friend, but I don’t want Gwen to be queen. Lex told me that if I didn’t marry her, she would marry Gwen, and I don’t want that. God, I just have no idea what to do.” she confessed running her hands through her hair in frustration.

Patting her daughter on the leg, Katherine said, “Lara, regardless of what you decide, know that your father and I will support you. You should do whatever you feel is best. There are opportunities by marrying her, but there are responsibilities as well. You should weigh them carefully.”

“Would you think I was a fool for saying no?” the teacher asked.

“Not at all.”

“Would you think I was selling out if I said yes, because I don’t love her?”

Her mother shook her head. “Lara, you have a challenge no one else ever has had. There’s no way anyone could judge you for what you do. Your marriage to the future queen would be a privilege and a burden. There would be no way around that, but at this point either way you decide will have similar consequences.”

Curious as to what her mother would do in her position, she inquired, “If it was you with the offer, what would you do, Mom?”

“You mean if your father wasn’t in the picture?” she clarified. Lara nodded.

The older woman smiled. “That’s easy. I’d marry her.” she teased.

“You would? Why?”

“Lara, look at her. She’s got a crown, money, access to everything I’d ever want, and let’s face it. She’s not unattractive by any means.”

“But what about the sex?” Lara questioned immensely inquisitive with her mother’s admission.

Katherine smiled. “I don’t foresee the sex being a problem for me. When you think about the realm of possibilities of what might happen, it’s not really different than with a man. The only thing that would be truly different is that she wouldn’t orgasm the way a man would, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because we know what a mess that can be. Close your eyes, and she’s whoever you want her to be.” she explained. Lara shifted uncomfortably. She had never told her mother about any of her own sexual encounters or lack thereof, so she couldn’t truly identify. Seeing her daughter’s sudden uneasiness, Katherine hurriedly inquired, “You do know what I’m describing, don’t you? I mean you have... with Ryan, haven’t you?” Lara shook her head slowly. “With anyone?” she asked.

“No.” softly the teacher confessed.

“Oh. Well, is that where some of your hesitancy is maybe coming from? Are you scared of what it might be like?” her mother inquired as assuringly as possible. “I mean there is nothing wrong with feeling that way. You’re still young, only twenty-three. There would be no way that you could possibly know the entire gamete that love entailed. I’m not even sure I know at fifty.”

“You really think it wouldn’t be that bad?”

“Not at all. I mean you just said she kissed you, and it wasn’t terrible. I think you would be surprised how easily you could lose yourself in a fantasy to get you through if you needed to. However she strikes me as the type of person that knows how to elicit the right emotions in an encounter such as that. I don’t think she would hurt you by any means. I think the whole catch is that you want to be madly in love with the person you are with the first time, isn’t it?”

“I always thought it would be nice.”

“Well, think about it this way. You’ll be with someone who is madly in love with you. That counts for something, doesn’t it?”

Lara looked at her as she asked, “You want me to do this, don’t you?”

“I want you to be happy, Lara. I want you to be taken care of. I wouldn’t worry about your financial well being. However there will be other concerns. This choice is yours and yours alone, but I will stand by you regardless.” On Saturday morning Lara was over at Ryan’s place early since they were meeting for breakfast. When he opened the door, he gave her a bright smile. “Hey, Lara. So good to see you finally.” he greeted wrapping her in his arms and kissing her deeply.

As his mouth connected with hers, Lara tensed a moment before allowing herself to relax. She was surprised by the fact that her first thought was of Alexa instead of the feeling of her longtime boyfriend’s affection. Pulling back slightly she smiled demurely. She patted his chest as she said, “It’s good to see you, Ryan.”

“I have something to show you before we leave. Come look at this.” excitedly he stated pulling her into his apartment. She followed him over to his dining table. Her heart stopped for a moment when her eyes saw what was lying there, a nationally published magazine with a picture of Alexa and her from the gala gracing the cover. It was a full length shot of the tall woman’s entrance that night, and the brunette had her head turned slightly in the blonde’s direction giving her an obviously affectionate gaze. The headline across it alluded to Alexa’s feelings for the teacher. “Isn’t this funny?” he asked. “They suggest that the princess is in love with you and you her. You look good though.” he commented idly flipping the pages.

“Thanks.” she mumbled.

Seeing her unenthusiastic response, he questioned, “What’s wrong? You don’t think this is amusing? How did you manage to get escorted in on Princess Alexa’s arm anyway?”

“She asked.” Lara replied. “Ryan, we need to talk about this article. I didn’t want to do this now. I was hoping we’d at least have some time before I had to bring this up.”

“What is it?”

“We should sit.” she said gesturing to the couch. He gave her a questioning look but did as she suggested, tossing the magazine on his coffee table to give her his full attention. She took a seat next to him. “Ryan, there is no easy way to say this. That article is partially true.”

“Which part?” he inquired.

“Lex has made her interest known to me.” she stated.

“Is that interest returned?”

Breaking their gaze Lara sighed. “Ryan, not in the way you might think. She has made it clear that she would like to pursue me, and that was quite a shock to say the least. At first I was completely taken back and refused her.”

“But?”

The blonde shook her head. “I’m going about this all wrong. What I want to say to you really has nothing to do with Lex. There is something I need to ask you.”

“What is it?”

Looking into his eyes, she took one of his large hands in her own. “Ryan, do you see us together forever? Do you think we have that kind of future?” “Lara, I love you.” he said plainly.

“I know, but do you want to marry me? Can you see that ever happening?”

He was silent for a moment before answering, “Lara, we’re only twenty three. Marriage isn’t something I really think about. Can’t we just see how it goes? I mean I do love you. Maybe at some point a long time from now I could see that happening. Why are you asking me this?”

“Because, Ryan, I’ve come to realize what I want out of life. I want to get married, and I want to have children.”

“Do you have to have those things right now?”

“No but it makes me realize that I should only be with someone who has the same goals as I do, and I know that I want those things in the near future if possible.”

He scowled at her. “Are you breaking up with me?” he questioned. “Is this about her?”

“This isn’t about Alexa. I swear it’s not, but she has made me think about my priorities. Ryan I can’t be with you if you don’t want the same things. It’s just not fair to either of us. You’re not ready for a commitment like that with me, and furthermore I know that I am ready for that commitment but not with you. It doesn’t make sense for us to carry on like this.”

He dropped his head forward slightly and sighed. “If I proposed would you stay?” he asked.

Lara shook her head. “No, sweetie, I wouldn’t, because I know it wouldn’t be genuine. I care about you and your happiness, Ryan. You know as well as I do this is not going to work in the long run.”

“I suppose you’re right.” he conceded. “I didn’t want to admit it, but we’ve really been more friends than anything over the past few months. I could feel it slipping away. I guess I just didn’t want to see you go. You’re the only woman I’ve ever felt this way about, but I suppose that if I’m not ready to commit after a year I probably won’t. My past relationships clearly show that much.” He leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes.

Lara knew he was trying to control his emotions as he always did. “This is for the best, Ryan.” she assured.

“And the princess?” he quietly asked.

Lara shrugged. “We’ll see. I don’t know yet.” A few minutes passed in silence before she inquired, “Do you still want to go for that breakfast, or should I just go?”

“I think I just want to be alone for awhile.” he mumbled.

Nodding her head in understanding, Lara stood. “All right. I guess this is it then.”

“Here. Take this with you.” he asked handing her the magazine.

“I’m sorry about hurting you, Ryan. I just think this is best.” He gave a nod but said nothing further. “Well, good bye.”

Going straight back to her parents’ house, she ran into them in their own kitchen. “Back so soon?” her mother inquired as she took a sip of her coffee.

“I broke up with Ryan.” the young woman stated flopping into a chair near them.

“What? Why?” Katherine asked.

Looking at them seriously she replied, “Because I think I’m going to marry Alexa.”

There was an extended pause before her mother questioned, “Really? You’ve made up your mind already?”

“Assuming we can work some things out, I think so. I broke up with Ryan though, because I know regardless of Alexa, I never want to marry him. What was the point of being together?”

“Wow. Our daughter is going to be the future queen.” her father mentioned. “I can hardly believe it.”

“Well, I think you were right, Mom. Alex can give me opportunities that I can’t get anywhere else. This is an arrangement. We’ll only be married in name really. She’s using me as much as I will be her. It’s temporary, and we’ll both benefit from it. It really accomplishes all my goals without too much responsibility. I mean the benefits will far outweigh them I believe.

She and I just have to get some things straight first.”

Her mother nodded. “Well, when are you going to tell Alexa?”

“I guess when I get back tomorrow. I know there is a time issue involved with her father. I’m sure she’ll want to know right away.”

Raising her glass of juice, Katherine stated, “Well, here’s to you, Lara, the future queen. I think you’ll be happy you did this.”

On Sunday afternoon the teacher returned to the palace. As soon as the helicopter landed, she looked out the window to see the princess standing there waiting on her. She thought about the fact that in a few short months she would become the brunette’s wife and how happy that would make so many people. As soon as the helicopter was on the ground, Alexa made her way over to open the door. Smiling brightly at the blonde, she extended her hand to assist her in getting down. “Hi. Welcome back.” she greeted leaning in to hug the short woman.

Lara responded in kind, figuring she might as well try to get used to the idea of the tall woman’s physical affection. “It’s good to be back.” she answered. Looking toward the palace, she saw the hustle of people rushing around. “What’s going on?”

“My father’s birthday party. I was hoping you would get back in time to be my date. It starts at seven and is just family and close friends. Of course if you’re too tired, I would understand.”

“No. I’m all right. I would love to go if you want me to be there.”

“I want you to be there. I have to get back to some business, but I just wanted to welcome you back. I’ll see you in the library around seven with everyone else. Okay?”

“Sure. I’ll see you then. That gives me a little time to relax.”

Lara walked toward her room with palace servants close behind carrying her bags. Going into her room, she noticed that someone had been in there cleaning as all her belongings had been put away neatly. The bed had been made better than she had left it, and on the nightstand there was a huge bouquet of red roses with a card. Even before she got to them, she knew they had to be from Alexa. Once she was alone, she moved over to the flowers and opened the card. It was written in Alexa’s hand saying, “Welcome home. I missed you. Lex.” Lara smiled as she put it on the table. If nothing else the princess went out of her way to express her emotions to the little woman, which pleased her. The teacher looked around her room as she thought of the fact that the palace would indeed become her home when she married the brunette.

Just a few minutes after seven Alexa was standing in the back of the library watching her parents and their friends chatting. Her father’s health seemed on the steady decline, and it appeared that he was having problems keeping up with the conversations around him forcing him to be a bystander for most of it. As the princess looked upon the man she adored, her heart felt a profound sadness. She knew this was the last time he would celebrate this event, and it grieved her that her time with him was near its end. Suddenly a small hand on her back broke her musings. Turning she looked down to questioning blue eyes.

“You all right?” Lara asked softly.

“I’m fine.” the princess lied.

Lara looked at the king and then back at the brunette. “It’s okay if you’re sad, Lex. He is your father. You have every right to be upset.”

Alexa nodded. “I just don’t want this to be happening. I’m not ready to take over for him. I want my father not some crown.”

“I understand. You should enjoy what time you have left though.”

“I know. I guess the fact that I’ve agreed to get married this year pleases him as well. That’s a small concession to make, to make his final days more bearable. If only I could announce to him that I am officially engaged this evening, that would be special to him. That would be a perfect gift.” she commented looking at her father. Lara chose not to respond. Instead she took the princess by the hand and pulled over to her family.

The evening passed with quiet talk and laughs about times when Princess Alexa and King George were both younger. When the group moved to the dining area for their meal, Lara watched as Alexa carried her father to his seat and made sure he was comfortable before taking her own. The blonde couldn’t help herself. As the princess took her seat next to her, she slipped her hand onto the brunette’s thigh, patting it lightly in support. Once the meal had passed and they were all sitting around talking, Victoria announced that it was time to give the king his gifts. Lara was curious as to what someone would give a king much less a man that didn’t have much time left. However she quickly realized that each person bestowed kind words onto the king instead of materialistic items. When it came to Alexa, the princess stood with her wine glass.

“Well, Father, I have to say that you are my hero and role model. Everything that I have learned about respecting people, I’ve learned from you. You have taught me compassion and sincerity, and I strive to be just like you. My gift to you this year, which most of you don’t know about yet, is that I am getting married. I hope that I have a marriage half as wonderful as the one you and Mother share and that I raise my children with the same values you have instilled in me.”

When she took her seat, Victoria looked at Lara. “Lara, do you have anything you would like to add?” she politely asked.

Casting a glance at Alexa, she answered, “Actually I do, but I what I have to say is for the king’s ears alone first.”

“Then please come tell me, my dear.” he said gesturing her to his chair. Coming to him Lara leaned to his ear and quietly whispered what she had to share.

Seeing the light come into her father’s eyes and the large grin that graced his face, Alexa wondered exactly what the blonde had just said. Not able to resist, she asked, “Lara, what did you just tell him?”

However the teacher ignored her for the moment as the king cupped her face in his frail hands. “You are an angel.” he whispered. “You have made me happier than I’ve ever been.”

“Come on. What did you just say?” the princess pressed in curiosity.

Taking the king’s hand in her own, Lara smiled at Alexa. “I just told him that I accepted your marriage proposal.”

Alexa’s heart stopped and then started again double time at what Lara just said. “You did?” she asked in clarification.

“Lex, why didn’t you tell us?” her mother inquired in excitement jumping from her seat to hug her daughter.

Lex returned the embrace but kept her eyes on the fair-headed woman, whose blue eyes sparkled in joy. Victoria gave the teacher the same response before Alexa moved to her bride. Kissing the back of the blonde’s left hand, she confessed, “I love you so much, Lara.”

“We have to make an announcement right away. Oh, there is so much to plan.” Victoria stated.

“Lara and I will give a press conference tomorrow morning before the conference resumes.” Alexa said. “For now though let’s just enjoy the rest of the night.”

That evening once the gathering had ended, Alexa escorted Lara back to her room. She hovered at the door for a moment smiling at the woman she was to marry. Seeing how happy she had made the royal family, Lara felt better about her decision. “I think we have some things to talk about.” she mentioned to the tall woman.

“Yeah. Would you like to do that now?”

“That’s all right. I’m not concerned about us being able to come to amiable terms for our prenup.”

The princess nodded. “Lara, if I may ask, why did you say yes? It’s not because of the way I feel, is it?”

The blonde shrugged. “It’s perceived as an honor to serve one’s country, and this is how I will serve mine. You’re kind, Lex, and I know that we will get along well. I should get some rest now. We have the press conference early, and I want to look my best.”

“You always do. Nevertheless I will leave you to your dreams.” Brushing Lara’s cheek with her hand lightly, she leaned to kiss her forehead. “Good night, my soon to be wife. Sleep well. Tomorrow your life will change forever.”

The next day the family met for breakfast before Alfred moved to start the press conference. As Alexa stood looking out the window at the gathering media, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked down to see the blonde curiously looking out as well. “There are a lot of people out there.” she mentioned.

“Yeah and they’re all here for you. Strange, isn’t it? This is our first test, Lara. Are you ready to do this?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“All right. Come on then.” Alexa extended her hand to the small woman. Lara took a deep breath before clasping it and letting the princess lead her outside to the waiting crowd. They stood together behind Alfred as he concluded his short speech before moving to the podium themselves. “I’ll make this brief as we are already running behind for the education conference. This morning I have asked you here to formally announce my engagement to Miss Lara Elise Monroe. As all of you should know by following the education conference, she was the winner of this years’ ‘Teacher of the Year’ award and is serving as an interim assistant director for the elementary level. It is a great pleasure for me that she has agreed to become my queen and serve our country. As of now we have not set a date for the wedding, but it will be before year end. At this time Alfred will field any questions you may have, because we have to get to our meeting. Thank you for your time.” Moving out from behind the podium, Alexa made them pause next to it while pictures were taken for a few moments before leading the blonde back into the palace.

That evening once returning from their meetings, Alexa held a traditional barbeque for all the guests of the conference. However being that news of the engagement had swept the country during the day, press had swarmed the palace getting the opinions of those coming and going. As Alexa sat in a chair under one of the large tents temporarily placed on the grounds for the party, people kept bombarding her with their well wishes for her marriage to the little blonde. She obliged them with conversation, but her eyes were across the way on the woman she was to marry.

Alfred had arranged for Lara’s family to be at the party that evening, having sent the royal jet to retrieve them earlier in the day, so Alexa watched the petite woman as she giggled with some of her younger relatives over the ring now adorning her hand. Feeling eyes on her, Lara turned to see the princess observing with a look of pure adoration gracing her face. The teacher smiled and blushed modestly under the gaze. When Alexa had first made her interest known a few months previous, the blonde had been uncomfortable with the idea of another woman having such feelings for her. However now that she had accepted and the brunette made her emotions obvious to everyone, Lara felt a certain security and receptivity to the tall woman’s affections. The teacher had always wanted the kind of love the heir was showing her, and even though she couldn’t reciprocate, she was flattered by the attention.

“Well, congratulations, Lara. You did something no one else was capable of.” Gwen stated as she approached. “You lured the future queen into marriage. I never thought it would happen.”

“Neither did I, Gwen.”

“Guess she made you quite a deal.” the tall blonde said looking over at her best friend. Glancing back at the teacher, she quietly mentioned, “She’s my best friend, Lara, and I want her to be happy. Don’t hurt her. She loves you.”

“I know she does.”

Just then Alexa made her way over to them, sliding her arms around Lara from behind and pulling the little woman to her. The teacher tensed for a second before relaxing, realizing that she was going to have to get used to the brunette’s touch. Snuggling into the toned body behind her, she placed her hands over her betrothed’s. “What are my two favorite ladies talking about over here?” she asked with a gentle smile.

“Oh, I was just congratulating Lara on a job well done. It’s about time someone tame you. Congratulations, Lex. I’m so happy for you.” she said leaning to kiss the brunette’s cheek.

“Thanks, Gwennie. I’m happy for me too.” the princess jested. “Excuse me though. I really must go speak with my future in-laws. Don’t run too far. We have to have a conference with the press in a bit.” she informed her fiancée before kissing her cheek and wandering away.

A few minutes later Alfred did come retrieve them for an interview with the media. Lara was surprised that most of the questions were directed at her. She tried to take it in stride however as she held tightly to Alexa’s hand and laid on her southern charm. The princess just stood next to her smiling proudly at how easily the blonde handled the crowd, and she saw that the little woman was having the same affect on the press that she had on her. Overlooking the group she noted that they seemed as smitten with the young woman as she had been in the beginning.

When the interview came to a close, one overly zealous report yelled in suggestion that they kiss for the camera. Alexa cast a bashful glance at her fiancée at the proposal, but seeing the permission in the blue eyes she loved, she pulled the little woman into her arms. She leaned down with every intention of giving the blonde a simple kiss, but as soon as her mouth met the soft lips of her beloved, all rational thought dissolved as the feeling of the teacher overtook her. Moaning lightly she pressed deeper, diving past Lara’s lips in a sensuous exchange. Faintly she was aware of the fact the little woman responded in kind, her arms locking around the brunette’s neck and pulling her in even closer. It lasted several long moments before Alexa had to pull away for air.

Seeing the dazed glow of Alexa’s eyes, Lara knew she had made the right decision to make things seem as real as possible. As an additional touch, she moved her fingers to her sovereign’s lips, gently wiping off her smeared pink lipstick from her majesty’s slightly quivering mouth in a seemingly doting gesture. Alexa lightly kissed the delicate fingertips that brushed her lips as she conveyed with her eyes emotions she couldn’t say in front of the assembly of people.

For the rest of the night Alexa was constantly by the teacher’s side. Lara played along by cuddling with the tall woman in front of the guests. However as the evening came to a close, the princess accompanied the blonde back to her room, holding tightly to the petite woman’s hand. Arriving at the door, Alexa lingered for a moment. Seeing dark eyes peering into her own, Lara asked, “What is it, Lex?”

“You are just so beautiful, Lara.” she replied brushing back the blonde’s hair with one of her hands. “I was amazed with the way you handled yourself today. It was incredible.”

The blonde simply nodded. Forgetting herself for a moment, Alexa leaned into the teacher’s body, hugging her tightly. Her lips grazed over the small ear before closing over the lobe. Lara didn’t respond for a minute, merely standing there until Alexa’s lips trailed down her neck. The teacher gasped lightly in surprise. “Lex.” she whispered. There was no response from her sovereign. “Alexa.” she tried again, but still the princess was involved with her neck. Uncomfortable with the idea of allowing the action to continue and yet scared to really rebuff the woman she was to marry, Lara waited another second. However Alexa continued. Hearing the tiniest of groans escape her majesty, the teacher knew she had to stop things before they escalated further. Pulling away she said, “Sire.” Meeting Alexa’s eyes, she saw them brightened with fervor. The princess was slightly breathless as she looked at her expectantly.

“Please.” the brunette begged shamelessly. “God, Lara. Please let me touch you. I need to feel you.”

Staring deeply into those dark eyes, Lara saw their desperation. Alexa was arrantly pleading with her, and for the first time Lara felt bad for the situation she had created. It was so visible the torture she was putting the princess through by spurning her. Nevertheless the little woman was not ready to move further with her fiancée. In fact Alexa’s touch left her unstirred in the ways of passion. Knowing she could not give what the tall woman wanted, Lara stepped back toward her door. “Good night, Lex.” However Alexa was not going to be dissuaded so easily as she reached to embrace the blonde again and beseeched, “Lara, please.”

The teacher removed Alexa’s hands from her waist and held them in her own. “Lex, please don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

The princess dropped her head forward, sighing with resignation. She wasn’t going to get what she wanted from the younger woman. Being refused was hard for her to accept, because Lara’s sentiments had seemed so real that evening. “I’m sorry.” she muttered. “I forgot for a moment. Wishful thinking I suppose.” she admitted. “I’ll just go. Good night, my princess.” Lara watched as Alexa shuffled down the corridor defeat evident in her posture. The princess didn’t look back as she wandered out of sight. Lara gave her own sigh of relief and yet remorse. She hated hurting the tall woman, because she did care about her at least as a friend. Going into her room, the teacher tried to just put the day out of her mind.

The princess couldn’t sleep after all that happened, so she stayed up reading long into the night. Around two though there was a soft knock on her door. Wondering whom it could be, she rose from bed and went to answer it. Her mother was standing there in her robe with a try of milk and cookies.

“Mom, can’t sleep?”

“No. You can’t either?”

“No.”

“Want to share my snack?” Victoria inquired.

“Sure. Come on in.”

They moved to the couch and sat close together. Her mother poured two glasses of milk before handing one to her daughter. “So, what’s keeping you up?” she asked conversationally.

“Stuff.” Alexa replied vaguely. “What about you?”

“Sometimes I have a hard time sleeping next to your father these days. I just want to watch over him instead and absorb every moment that I can.” she confessed.

Alexa wrapped her arms around her mother in comfort. “I know the feeling. He’s only seventy. That’s too young, but we should just enjoy what time we have left.”

Her mother nodded. “I just never thought that I’d be a widow at sixty-five. We’ve been married for forty-seven years, and somehow that just doesn’t seem like enough time together.”

“Mom, could I ask you something about your marriage?”

“Of course. You know you can ask me anything.”

“Were you and dad in love with each other when you got married, or were you just kind of pushed on each other?”

Victoria paused for a moment to take a sip of her milk. “Lex, we did care about each other. I mean we were friends, but we weren’t in love when we married. Our families wanted the marriage, and we obliged. Both of us thought that if we had to do it, at least we knew that we would get along as friends.”

“But you love him now.”

“Yes, I do. I love your father in a way I never knew existed, and looking back I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. He’s my soulmate.”

“How did that change come about?”

“It was very slowly, Lex. When we got married, we both knew that we needed to have children as soon as possible. It was just considered protocol, and we felt obligated to do so. We tried for twenty-two years to have a child before you were finally born. Over the course of that time our relationship slowly began to change. For the first five years or so when we couldn’t get pregnant, he just kind of brushed it off, saying that it was no big deal, that we had plenty of time. We were friends and only had sexual interaction for the sole purpose of conceiving. I mean we didn’t even share a bed or a room for those five years. In fact I slept in this room for the first years of our marriage.” she said taking a look around. “After time had passed and we were still trying, the relationship seemed different. He started to stay over sometimes after we had done our national duty, and he would hold me, telling me everything would be fine, that it would work this time. He was so supportive of me. I truly felt that I let him down and even more my country down, because I couldn’t get pregnant. For twelve years it seemed like all we did was try to have a child. Finally when I was thirty, the doctors basically told us that there was a very high likelihood that we would never be able to have a baby. I was crushed. You see during all those trials I had somehow fallen in love with my prince, but I knew he had obligations to the country. I wanted him to be happy and to have children to carry on the line, so I asked him if he wanted a divorce. I remember that so clearly, because it forever changed the way we were. I merely was thinking of the country when I suggested it, but by the look on his face, I could tell I had just destroyed him. For the first time ever I saw your father cry. He begged me to reconsider, and he told me for the very first time that he loved me. He said he would rather have me than his crown, and he didn’t care if we ever had kids, that he just wanted to love me for the rest of his life.” Victoria paused as tears came to her eyes. Alexa pulled her mother tighter into her consoling embrace. “It took twelve years, Alexa, before we found love, and that was thirty-five years ago. We had given up on kids all together, and then ten years later when I was forty, there you were. You were a surprise and a blessing, and your father adored you from the moment I told him that I was in fact pregnant. You’d never see a father as proud and excited as he was. From the day you were born, he coddled you and loved you with an intensity I never knew a father could have for their child. That’s why it’s so important to him that he sees you marry. He wants you to be as happy as we are.”

Alexa nodded. “Lara doesn’t love me, Mom.” she stated softly.

“I know, sweetheart. You’re friends. You love her though. That’s more than what we started with.”

“Yeah but I want so much for her to return my feelings. It hurts when she refuses me.” she admitted.

“I know, Lex. Love can be painful sometimes, but there is a good chance that she will come to love you over time. You two are going to get married and hopefully start having children soon. Kids do wonders for relationships. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if she fell for the mother of her children. It would be hard not to, especially knowing how much you adore her.”

“But I want her to love me now.” she grumbled.

“Lex, love isn’t on a schedule. It comes when it does. Give it time. You’ll see. She wouldn’t have said yes if she didn’t at least care about you as a friend. You have something to work with. You just have to let nature take its course.”


Continued in Part 3

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