Her Protectors, Their Love

Yvette settled down in the sea of pillows in her little nook in the library next to Cameron, sighing as she landed.

"Problem?" Cameron asked, wrapping his arms around her as he placed his book down.

"No, just a bit sore. John took the bandages off but I just feel so... tight. I had a dream last night."

Cameron laughed, pressing his lips to her forehead as he spoke, "About me perhaps?"

She giggled, rubbing his chest lightly, "Unfortunately no, I had a dream... God Cam, it was so vivid." Her voice had dropped, shaking a bit, "He was back, and he just kept looking at me with those dark eyes and that mask was still on him and.... It was so odd Cameron. I just split open. My insides just started to gush out of me."

He sighed, pulling her closer and breathing her in, "Just a dream dove."

She smiled at the pet name, rarely used. They lay there for a long time, relaxing and enjoying the moment tremendously. Suddenly words, words she hadn't expected for a long time. "If your father were to agree, would you marry me?"

Her heart skipped beats. She had always expected this day to come, the day the would all slowly begin to ask her that question. She had never considered how she would answer however, and she felt herself panic a tad.

Cameron had expected the panic, he ignored the deep beats of her heart against his. But before he could ask again, he heard Mal's voice boom in the quiet.

"Princess? Your mother would like to see you in the throne room."

Yvette got up quickly, giving Cameron one last look before walking past Mal without a word. When Yvette was far enough, Mal raised an eyebrow at Cameron. "Seriously, you want to be on my bad side."

"You're just mad I always make the first move," Cameron laughed, putting his hands behind his head, leaning back into the pillows.

"Don't be an asshole," Mal said, before following after Yvette. When he caught up she was in the hallway, sniffing quietly. He didn't have to ask, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her to the side of the hallway. The moment he had his arms wrapped around her tightly, he felt her tears pour silently.

"Oh my love," he whispered to her.

"Mal even if it were possible for me to marry one of you, how would I ever disappoint one of you by picking another."

He could feel a lump form in his throat. He cupped her cheeks, making her look him in the eye. He could see all the pain she had inside, and for a moment wanted nothing more then to take her, far away. He could take her to another kingdom, where no one would bother to look for them. He'd keep her happy, as unknown to her he'd inherited quite a fortune for his family. He was a soldier because that was what every male in his family did, he'd stayed in because he loved it. His father had never really forgiven him, but when he and Mal's mother died, the fortune he'd sworn to never give to a son who didn't follow his demands, was now Mal's hands. The money could give them freedom from the palace, from her position. After moments of silence and her tears began to dry, he sighed, kissing her forehead. He'd regret that moment for quite some time, as he knew she had made up her mind long ago, she belonged to him, and he hadn't taken the chance to take her far while he had the right mind to do so.

"Your mother will be quite peeved princess, come on."

She wanted to bite him, yell at him, do anything to make him keep her by his side for a moment longer, but knowing her mother could rarely make time for her she continued her walk to the throne room, Mal close behind.

~~~~

"Mom?"

Angelica looked her daughter over with a smile. Wise eyes told her Yvette was carrying guilt and sadness. Mal stopped at the door, closing it behind him, and stood next to Jackson, her mother's guard. Jackson had always been kind to her, she remembered him bringing her gifts when she was a little girl. Once, she'd overheard a maid wondering aloud if her mother wasn't sleeping with the man, which Yvette didn't doubt. He was beautiful in an elegant sort of way. She looked back at him, smiled sweetly, and turned back to her mother.

"Darling, you look much better."

"I feel better Mother. Really I do. But is something the matter?"

Her mother sighed, sitting on her throne next to her father's empty one, "Have you spoken to your father or brother?"

Yvette shook her head, crossing her arms across her chest. Her mother raised an eyebrow and she lowered them with a sigh, forgetting her mother's thoughts on her aura.

"Well, then," her mother began, "you should know before they tell you. You and Mal should know."

With those words, Mal looked at Jackson, who continued to look at his queen. "Ma'am?," he asked without thinking and then looked at the queen and Yvette confused.

"There is a reason I asked for you to bring my daughter without her other guards. I always assumed you were the man my daughter would choose. And even if she hasn't said it, I'm sure her silence confirms it. Not that you needed her to confirm it did you Mal?"

Yvette turned to look at Mal, who was shaking his head, his eyes catching hers for a moment.

Angelica smiled for a moment, giving Jackson a look. Jackson remembered the day he met Angelica, the day he took her heart away. He'd been there for every birth, as secretly, everyone knew. The king even knew, most of the children weren't his and those who were never distinguished from those who weren't. Some he didn't care for that much anyway, but Edward and Yvette were two who did. To Jackson, they mattered as well. Obviously, with all these secrets, lies, and stories, came confusion and sadness. A sadness neither wanted for the two others in the room.

"We will have guest soon. From the kingdom Titus. Their King will be visiting. Along with his advisors and some of his harem. I'm sure he'll bring others. A King like him has quite a caravan when he travels. This is of course not the point. The point is that your father has it set in his mind that if one of his daughters marries him, he will have formed an alliance with a kingdom that right, has yet to choose a side. The King, Axel, he is young and is looking for a wife."

"Wait...," Alex began to protest, shaking her head.

"Edward has tried his best to convince your father my sweet daughter. He failed. I have no place to say a word without being asked. You are not the only one being presented to him. Endora, Jacklynn, and Brinn will also be presented to Axel. I wanted you to know, before it occurs, as none of your other sisters will be warned."

Yvette was shaking her head, too confused to handle it all. Mal was busy now pacing the room. She couldn't even look up at him, the pain in her chest suffocating. Her mother reached out to rub her cheek lightly. Yvette wanted to pull away but the softness of her mother's hand was calming.

Jackson's voice rang. She remembered the voice from her childhood. The deep voice that had alarmed her once.

~~~~

She could see them. Her mother's pearls hanging off a hook in her massive closet. The pearls she rubbed softly while resting in her mother's arms. Big, shiny, white marbles that teased her. She couldn't reach them, her fingers no where near as high as they needed to be, no matter how much she stretched her body. She rested for a second, sighing as pain shot through her. She wanted them to show off. Endora, carrying around her mother's brooch like a badge of honor.

"Silly brooch, fake I'm sure," she said to herself. The real pearls that belonged to the first wife, the queen. Perfect revenge.

She scanned the room, her 11 year old hands on her tiny hips that were far from the time they would widen. She spotted the footstool, large and puffy to match her mother's armchair. She ran over, knowing time was wasting, and pushed it over to the wall. She stepped up, the cushion underneath her tiny feet making her balance unreliable. She second guess the idea, but realizing she was close enough to hopefully jump up and pull the pearls off, she decided to take the risk.

She jumped, seeing the pearls lift off the hook. She smiled, knowing as long as she landed on the footstool properly, she was in the clear.

"Princess, be careful!"

The sudden noise caused her to look back, in the process, making the pearls land back on the hook, the motion of her body missing the footstool pulling the strand apart.

Next thing she knew, she felt her body hit the floor in a thud, the sound of the pearls raining down on her and the floor. The laugh from the unwelcomed guest angered her, as she felt him picking her up in his arms.

"Your mother will not be pleased," Jackson said, carrying her to the armchair and sitting down with the tiny princess settled in his lap.

Yvette felt herself panic a little, as she looked down at her still closed fist.

"Open your little hand princess. Come on now," he said, tapping it lightly with his finger.

She slowly relaxed her fingers, revealing 5 pearls. He laughed, pushing one lightly.

"Oh dear. Come now, let's go pick them up."

His reaction alarmed her, not expecting those words exactly. "Are we showing Momma?"

"No."

More alarm rushed though her. "No?"

"We need all of them to put it back together. I'm sure if you fix them just right, she'll never notice a thing."

Jackson watch the tiny princess look up, he big eyes shinning with love in those moments. Her arms wrapped quickly around his neck, he could feel her little heart beating. "Oh thank you Jackson!," she squeaked.

He laughed squeezing her little body, the body that could very well be his own flesh and blood. The one who he knew, of all the queen's children, was the one he wanted most to be his own and yet, was the King's most prized possession. With this thought, he took a moment to remember the feeling and let go, pushing her off his lap in the direction of the mess she'd made.

"Come now, time to pick those suckers up huh?"

~~~~

"Mal, pacing won't do any good, I can promise you."

"It won't hurt," he snapped, stopping to stare out the window, his back to the others.

The fact that Jackson and Mal were speaking so naturally to one another was a bit of a surprise. She'd never heard the two converse, but her mother seemed to find it normal, causing her to assume it wasn't the first time the three spoke together in private.

"No... it won't Mal. But it won't change the fact that the King feels Yvette is the best chance of protecting our kingdom," Jackson said, still in his position next to the door.

Mal shot Yvette a look and she could see anger filling his eyes, "Yvette? Yvette?! Why her? Since when is Yvette considered to be the great hope for the kingdom. Had I known this was the case I would have taken her when I had the chance--"

Yvette watched her mother turn to him swiftly, her long dark hair swooping with her, "You wouldn't have made it far Mal...." The tone wasn't one of anger really, more like a stern lecturing one. Yvette could see the pity in her eyes as she watched Mal pace.

It was pity, as the Queen remembered Jackson's pacing when her marriage to the King was announced. The way he walked back and forth, grumbling almost the same phrases Mal was grumbling.

There were voices outside the large wooden doors and Yvette looked up quickly, her mother pointing at the area in the wall that was a passage out, "Out now, for that is the King and he didn't want anyone to know of our visitors. Act surprised later when you're told Yvette. Go darling. Mal... please?"

Yvette felt his hand grab hers, yanking her through the hidden door way as she looked back to catch the throne room doors open. As the passage closed behind them she tried her best to say something to Mal as he turned to look at her but his eyes told her not to as he continued to lead her in silence.

He led her through passages, the tunnels were areas she'd almost never been through. She knew of them, but after getting lost as a child she'd avoided them. She could hear voices behind the passage doorways, some usual chatter, some talk of war, the cook yelling for more butter. But suddenly a name she knew.

"Lorena" was the deep groan and she stopped dead in her tracks.

Mal looked back, pulling on her hand but Yvette shook her head, pointing back at the door way and putting her finger to her lips. She walked to the door slowly, pressing her ear against the crack around the doorway. She could feel Mal's body come near her, one hand around her waist and the other pressed on the wall, to make sure neither one of them pressed too hard or they'd surprise the people on the other side. All they could hear was moaning and grunting but Yvette swore to herself that she'd known who spoke Lorena's name. She looked up at Mal who shrugged and she tried her best to look through the crack but all she could see was Lorena who seemed to be on her knees. It was the linen room, she could tell from the shelves and shelves of sheets and towels.

She couldn't help but feel a little awkward, watching what could very well be her sister pleasuring an unknown man. Mal had her so close to him she felt a little turned on for a moment.

"Lorena!" again came the voice and this time she knew. Her anger made her punch the door, which gave way a little. They had alarmed the people inside and she felt Mal pick her up, swinging her over his shoulder and carrying her quickly back in the direction to her bedroom.

~~~~

"The asshole!" she screamed as Mal placed her down in an armchair. He sighed, rubbing her cheek.

"Does it really make you that mad?"

She had to admit, she wasn't as angry as she would have been months ago. Through her anger, sadness and frustration, she knew her heart belonged to only one of them. She shook her head, looking down at her feet and she could see Mal's shadow, his head shaking. Yvette's eyes traveled up to his, trying her best to give him a small smile. "Don't be mad at me."

He wasn't, but he could understand why she'd think so. He'd long come to accept the others being part of her life, it was the idea that she'd be married to someone who wasn't him. Mal had always assumed had Yvette been given the right to marry who she wanted, she'd marry him. He didn't need her to tell him it was so, the moment she'd shared in the library with Cameron was the proof he needed.

She stood up, smoothing out her dress with a little smile. Placing her hands on his face, she reached up to kiss him, lingering a second before she spoke, "Don't worry. I'll pretend like I never saw what I saw. Just promise me you've never done the same."

"Never have, not since you first became mine."

She giggled, kissing him again and wrapped her arms around his neck.

As he placed her down on the floor the other three entered. She looked at them, smiling like she hadn't a care in the world but deep down inside she knew how badly she wanted to kill one of them.

~~~~

Patrick and Yvette sat in front of a fire reading quietly late that night, alone in the dim light of her room.

He watched her flip the pages, her brain quickly reading each page as her eyes shone bright, her head resting in his lap. She let her eyes leave the page to look up at him with a smile. "Yes dear?" He smiled, running his fingers through her long hair. She looked like an angel, radiating a heat he could never explain.

Sometime in the afternoon, the king had called all of them to announce his visitors. The news wasn't the best, but he was calm to see her calm. She teased they should help her figure out a way of becoming less appealing but he knew it wasn't possible to make someone as beautiful as her unattractive.

He'd never considered himself competitive, he'd always known he could never marry Yvette with Mal around, but his heart belonged to her still. He could always join the monastery if he really couldn't bring himself to love anyone else but her, being with another woman wouldn't be the hard part. It was completely forgetting the princess he would always love.

Yvette reached up with one finger, rubbing under his chin in the way she'd done for years. He lent down, pressing his lips to hers, plump and pink. They were welcoming, her hands playing softly with his hair.

It could have been the heat from the fireplace, but the room felt hot and she wanted nothing more than to get completely naked before him. His hands were sliding down into her dress, cupping a breast with his warm hands, the nipple growing hard against his palm. He let his fingers squeeze it a little, feeling a little moan escape her into his mouth. He smiled, letting his hand travel to the next breast and work it's magic on her second nipple.

Even through the pillow under her head, she could feel the twitches of his manhood awakening. She'd wanted that response, leaning up to turn around and face him, getting herself into his lap and straddling him. His hands wrapped around her waist, bringing her close to him. She was grinding down on him, making him grunt. The idea popped in her head then, and she brought herself off his lap and kneeled between his legs.

"Wait," he grunted, grabbing her hand.

"What?" she asked, undoing the belt around his waist. She sort of pushed up on his chest, her way of telling him to sit up on the sofa he'd been resting against.

"You really shouldn't be on your knees before me Princess," he said, feeling her soft fingers find his hardened member and bringing into the heat of the room.

"Oh shush you, you'll let me do what I want thank you." With a small smile, she brought the tip of his cock to her lips, kissing it lightly. It shook in her hand, Patrick's body stretching from the feeling traveling through him. He grabbed the back of her head as she opened her mouth slightly and lowered her mouth over it.

He let out a deep, raspy groan and closed his eyes tightly as she sucked on it greedily. She let her tongue tease the base a little, then slide up the shaft slowly before lowering her mouth again. The faster she began to suck and lick, the more she felt his body tensing up. Yvette felt him shaking, grabbing the back of her head. He pushed down on her head when she lowered her mouth, feeling her take him deep into her throat.

That's when she felt it, the deep eruption in the back of his shaft, against the tip of her tongue. Soon his seed spilled into her mouth, she swallowed as it escaped him. His hands softened his grasp, taking deep breaths to calm the beast she'd awoken.

She watched him rest back into the sofa, resting her head against his knee. He finally opened his eyes, a deep love shinning in them.

"Good?" she asked, feeling his hand reach out and play with her hair lightly.

"Get up here and let me show you just how good princess," he replied with a smile.