Testing the Waters

“Nic!” Elau rushes over to me and kneels in front of me. “ I wanted to tell…”

“Prince Elauthin, you should be back celebrating at your ball.” I say interrupting him and looking away.

“Niccola, please, I wanted to tell you.” He urges me

“Then why didn’t you?” I look at him

“I wasn’t allowed. I tried to give you hints and you seemed to be okay if I got married.”

“I am okay! It’s fine. If you want to marry a woman you just met it’s that's perfectly okay with me.” I stand and walk away from him to the other side of the grove.

“It doesn’t sound okay. And what I want doesn’t matter. It is my duty as Prince.”

“You should be free to make your own choices, Elau.” I plead with him

“It’s not that simple.”

“It should be.”

“You don’t understand. I have always been told what to do from a young age. I have never had the privilege to make my own choices,” as he says this my heart sinks for him. I can tell in his voice he doesn’t want to do this. “ And if you can’t give me a good enough reason then I am going to marry her.” He takes a few steps closer to me.

“You met her a month ago. Do you even like her? Can you imagine a life with her as your wife?” I give him his reasons.

“That’s not good enough. She was raised to be the perfect wife and both of our parents have already decided on this union. Give me a better reason.” He walks up to me and grabs my hands. “If you can give me just one real reason as to why I shouldn’t marry Maeve I will end the engagement.”

“Because I love you.” I think to myself but do not dare say aloud. I shrug my shoulders and look away. “It’s not fair to you.” This time I speak out loud, “You have as much right to choose who you marry as everyone else. How can I watch my friend marry someone he doesn’t love and be okay with that?”

“I wish you were right, but once my parents decide something I no longer have a voice in the matter. It is their opinion that since Maeve is human I can marry for love after she has moved on from this world.”

“How is that okay? To you or Maeve?”

“You’re right it’s not but it has been decided. And if you don’t have any other reasons then I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but please don’t hold too much anger against me and a choice I did not make.” He lets go of my hands.

“Like I said, it’s fine.” I walk past the stubborn man wishing I was brave enough to tell him how I really feel. “You should go enjoy your party.” I continue out of the grove and towards my chambers.

“Niccola!” Amelia runs down the hallway and wraps me in her arms. I feel tears swell up again as she hugs me. “Come on, why don’t you stay in my chambers tonight. It’ll be like a sleep over.” I nod my head and she shuffles me down the hallway and into her room. “Some warm water might do you some good. Shall we soak for a bit? I’ll grab some wine”

“That would be nice.” I walk towards her hot spring ‘tub’ and strip off my clothes then climb in. Amelia walks to her cabinet and pulls out some wine decorking it, then strips off her clothes and joins me in the hot spring with a pair of wine glasses and the bottle of Elvish wine. Amelia pours a glass of wine and hands it to me, but I reach past her and grab the bottle, taking a large swig.

“ Oh Nic, I am so sorry!” I encouraged you and I had no idea.” She stares at me like a sad puppy.

“It’s okay, Amelia. None of us knew.” I feel more tears building up. “I should have confessed when you told me to, and now it is too late. I can’t disrupt a Royal engagement, and if he doesn’t feel the same things will definitely be awkward.” I drink some more of the wine.

“Well just forget about him. You are gorgeous and any man would die at the chance of being yours. You could literally just take your pick.” She tries to make me feel better.

“I guess, but what really hurts is that I am stuck here for the next four months watching Maeve prepare to be Elau’s wife. I don’t know if I could watch that. Maybe I should just go home for my own sake ” I huff

“Don’t say that! You have dreamed of this job for your entire life. You shouldn’t give it up because of a man. You should be like Benjamin and find a fuck buddy. Then you will forget all about Elauthin and it won’t bother you one bit.”She scoops up some water and runs it down her long red hair.

“Where am I going to find a fuck buddy? Plus I… I’ve never… well you know.”

She giggles, “There are plenty of men who can show you the ropes.” She assures me.

“I’m not sure I want them to.” I laugh and Amelia smiles, from cheering me up.

I look over at Amelia soaking naked in the water across from me. She is pretty and has a beautiful body. “Maybe we should just forget about men and date each other.” I flirt with the wine going to my head.

“It might make things a lot easier to date a girl.” She smiles and slides over to me. “Should we try it?” I nod and she responds by wiping my hair behind my ear and grabbing the back of my neck. As she moves closer I can feel her breast press against mine and her nipples stroke mine softly. She places her soft lips on mine and begins kissing me slowly. I wrap my arms around her waist pulling her closer. Her body is warm, and her lips move wonderfully, but there are no sparks and it is almost awkward. She pulls away from me.

“I’m sorry.” She says sliding back to the otherside of the tub. “It’s like…”

“Kissing my sister.” I say completing her sentence. She laughs and takes a sip of wine.

“Exactly, I guess we are stuck on boys.” She holds her glass up and we cheer our efforts.