Unbroken (Unarmed Trilogy #2) (29 page)

"I need you," Will breathed into her neck as he pulled away. "Please let me have you."

"Be gentle," Tamzin said as she pulled his tunic over his head and cupped his face as Will pulled her dress down. "I will never not want you. Until my dying breath, I belong to you, just as you belong to me. I will always want to be your wife, your Queen, and the mother of your children."

Will murmured, "I love you," against her lips as he gently laid her out on the floor and untied his breeches. Both he and Tamzin hadn't heard Hanna enter the library through the side entrance during their discussion with Nicola or that she still watched now.

As Hanna watched Will's lips descend down Tamzin's body and place his head between her legs, she gasped.

Will stayed up the whole night after he refused to eat dinner with the Bradfords. As the sun began to rise, Will wrapped his arm around Tamzin's body tighter. They had made love on the floor of the library but it wasn't until they were in the privacy of their chambers that Will lost all semblance of control.

He cried like he hadn't since he was a child, before it felt like Gregory beat every emotion out of him and Tamzin just held him close. He passed out for a few hours and awoke to a note from Tamzin that said she had ordered a plate of dinner for him. She was curled next to him and Will hadn't moved from his spot on the bed.

The sun was now fully in the sky and illuminated everything.

"It's a good sign. It means everything will turn around," Tamzin grinned as she sat in the seat by the window. "Don't you remember how sunny it was the day we met? Sunlight is always a good sign."

"Every major victory I have ever had has been in sunlight," Will offered to the conversation as he picked at his breakfast. "I have lived, but many others haven't. That is hardly an example of things turning around."

"Then there is always a silver lining to every cloud," Tamzin said as she smiled and popped a grape in her mouth. "No man should die, but I can't act like I'm happy they didn't die so you could live. I'm not selfish, but I want us to live a full life together with our children before I let you die."

"That sounds like a strong order," Will said as he tried to hide his smile and failed miserably. "I have to train the men some more today."

"Will you promise to spend some time with Garrett afterwards? I know my words about Seraphina have caused him to distance himself from you. I never wanted that to happen," Tamzin said as she bit her lip. "He is like your brother and our son will need as many allies as possible as he grows."

"Garrett and I are enduring a rough patch, but nothing more. We will get through this," Will said as he began to eat the fruit on his plate. "I can't stop thinking about what my mother said and about the scar on her neck. I should have done something. I should have known."

"You were months old, Will!" Tamzin exclaimed as she reached across the table and took his hand. "There is absolutely no reason in the world to blame yourself. You cannot protect everyone, especially when you were unable to defend yourself. But you can do something about it now."

"What is that?" Will asked.

"Stand up for yourself. You will never be free until you untie the binds yourself. I will stand up by you forever and be strong when you can't, but I can't do this for you. Go to your Uncle, your Grandfather, and Willem and form a plan. I will write a letter to my father and tell him of our plans. He will send more men and supplies. My father will accept you as the King," Tamzin said as the door opened and she covered herself more completely with the robe on her shoulders.

Ethan stood in the doorway and looked like he had something to say. Katya appeared behind him and pushed her way through, carrying a new set of dresses and fresh linens. Will watched as Tamzin smiled at his little sister.

Sister
.

That was a word that he had never used before and it felt odd on his tongue. Katya regarded him with a slight smile as Will watched Tamzin and his sister began to discuss the fabrics of the new dresses. For a brief moment, he felt happy. Nothing bad had happened in his life and he sat, eating breakfast with the people who should have been closest to him.

"Will?" Ethan said as he approached his brother with a slightly panicked look on his face. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about something? In private?"

"Okay," Will said as he stood from his chair and began to dress quickly. He kissed Tamzin goodbye and gave her belly a final touch before he and Ethan left the room. They were on their way to the training yard and were nearly there before Ethan finally began to speak.

"Hanna is making me do this. I don't know why I'm asking this and this sounds odd, but Hanna saw you and Tamzin last night..." Ethan trailed off as he turned a bright scarlet color that extended from his cheeks to his neck. "In the library...on the floor..."

"Oh," Will replied as his hand immediately went to his neck and looked around the room. He looked anywhere but Ethan's face as Ethan continued.

"She had been in the library and she said that you two literally just clawed each other and went to the floor..."

"I was there," Will replied with exasperation as he continued to avoid Ethan's gaze. "What exactly are you asking me?"

"How you do it?" Ethan asked.

"Do 'it?' You don't know how to have sex with a woman? I mean, it's not complicated," Will quirked his eyebrow at him in genuine confusion.

"I know how to have sex with Hanna," Ethan said with mild annoyance. "But she said that Tamzin
enjoyed
it much more than she does with me. She wants you to give me tips."

"Do you have any idea how uncomfortable this conversation is?" Will asked as the brothers began to enter the training grounds. "It's not tips. You have to know your wife, know what she likes. It comes with marriage, I suppose. How long have you two been married?"

"Almost three years," Ethan replied.

"You were fourteen?" Will was taken aback for a moment. "I had no idea. You two don't seem particularly close."

"Lying with Hanna isn't awful, obviously, but I'm aware that she doesn't like it as much as I do. You know what you're doing. We have all heard the noises that come out of your chambers late at night," Ethan said as he looked to the men congregating around the training yard. "The men make fun of me because Hanna hasn't become with child yet and it's because she refuses to lie with me most times I ask her. I don't want to force her, but..."

"You never force a woman. As for Hanna, I cannot give you advice. Ask her what she likes?" Will said questioningly and felt his stomach churn from how uncomfortable the conversation was. "I can't believe I'm asking this, but what do you do when you lie with Hanna?"

"Kiss her sometimes, mount her, do what other couples do. Isn't that what you do? It doesn't last long," Ethan said as he dug his sandal into the dirt. "That's not what you do, is it?"

"You can't just mount a woman. You shouldn't want to mount your wife. Women need tending to; don't you always stretch your muscles before you begin to train? It's the same way with women. You need to make them want it, to want you, and when they do, they will lie with you and it will feel good for them too," Will explained and felt a slight bit of pride as he was able to explain the mysteries of women, at least passably. "All women have a sweet spot between their legs. If you massage that spot and use your fingers or your mouth..."

"Mouth?" Ethan questioned.

"Oh, yes. Women love it when you put your mouth between their legs. If Tamzin wasn't so swollen with child, she would thrash against me and I would have to stop her thighs from crushing my head. She melts when I do that to her," Will smirked at the memory and relished the control he exuded over Tamzin when he did that to her. There was nothing more satisfying than knowing, as a husband, no one could make Tamzin feel as good as he could.

He enjoyed the equality in other aspects of their relationship, but she allowed him to dominate her in their chambers and Will never felt more like a man than listening to her moans when he pleasured her. "You think sex feels good? Listening to her moan my name and her fluttery breaths and seeing how good she feels after I have made her come feels better than anything else. You take the time to make Hanna feel good and it will improve everything."

"That's all I have to do?" Ethan asked as he watched Garrett approached Will. "Kiss her between her legs?"

"Teaching the little one how to make his lady moan?" Garrett asked in a slight condescending tone as he eyed Ethan up and down. "Southern men don't pleasure their ladies, or so I've heard."

"Lying together is supposed to be for procreation only, but it's not enforced. No one cares, especially with my uncle being the way he is," Ethan defended lightly, but his shoulders became rigid. "We don't have whores so readily available as they are up North."

"That is certainly a loss," Garrett laughed. "In honor of me, your closest friend, you should bring all the Northern girls down South when you become King."

"It will be the very first thing I do," Will said with a good natured eye roll before he placed his hand on Ethan's shoulder. "There's no shame in not knowing what to do. But I think you should talk to Garrett. He has much more experience with women."

"And I have never had an unhappy woman leave my chambers, if I do say so myself," Garrett grinned as the men began to come forward for their training lessons.

"Any other questions?" Will asked as Garrett tossed him a wooden sword.

"No, just thank you for not mocking me. My mother said you weren't as cold as you come off," Ethan said with a meek smile as Will handed him the sword. His words warmed the thawing ice in Will's heart for a moment. It was nice to be accepted.

Inside the palace, Tamzin and Katya walked up and down the hallways on each of the different floors.

"My mother told me walking can make the labor start. It is definitely time for this little one to come out," Tamzin said as she massaged her belly. In her daily meetings with Jacque, she told him how the pressure above her groin had increased, which made Jacque smile. He said the babe was moving and it was her body's way of preparing for birth. It was a comforting thought, but also fearful. She wished her mother were here.

"Are you nervous?" Katya asked.

"Only about the unknown. My mother told me my body will know what to do when it's time for me to go to the birthing bed. I wish I was home, though," Tamzin said as she tried to hide her frown. "Where is Hanna?"

"She helps my mother ready before she joins us. My mother told me that she told Will what happened when he was a baby," Katya said as she stroked Tamzin's arm. "Does Will still hate us?"

"Will has never hated you," Tamzin soothed as she reached out and cupped Katya's cheek like she were a child. "He has never had siblings before and he certainly never knew his mother was still alive. It was a lot for him to take in."

"The scar on my mother's chest used to frighten me as a child, but now it just makes me sad. I thought all Northern men would be like that," Katya said as the women began to leave the palace and step out into the sunlight. "I'm afraid to be married."

"If you have a kind husband, then being married is quite nice. But if you don't, it isn't so. Your father loves you; he would never marry you off to a man who he didn't think would treat you with love and kindness. You're still too young to be married, anyways," Tamzin tried to soothe, but Katya still seemed apprehensive about something. "If you do not believe having a husband and children would make you happy, then you should not have them. Perhaps you want adventures?"

"I don't know what I want," Katya said. "I never really had crushes on boys. They are all the same here, but now that you have brought new people, I don't feel the same."

"You have a crush?" Tamzin laughed as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the sunlight. "You must tell me!"

"No! No! You would mock me," Katya smiled until she began to blush as they came across the men in the training yard.

"He is one of Will's soldiers?!" Tamzin exclaimed as she bit the inside of her cheek to try and hide her squeal of excitement. "Tell me who he is and I will introduce you promptly."

"He's not a Thurston man. He's one of your archers," Katya said as she continued to watch the men. "We haven't spoken yet, but he is very handsome."

"Do you know his name?" Tamzin asked.

"I'm not sure, but I can point him out," Katya said as her finger pointed in the direction of Will. He was, once again, having a seemingly terrible conversation with Rolf. Though they were whispering, Will had his hands moving in a threatening motion, when it dawned on Tamzin.

"Rolf? You like Rolf?" Tamzin asked and tried, in vain, to hide her surprise. "The man arguing with Will?"

"Rolf? That is a very handsome name, indeed," Katya continued to blush crimson as she looked away from the men. "Is that a problem? Is he engaged?"

"No, he's not engaged, but it is surprising that you like Rolf. You have never formally met him?" Tamzin asked as she watched Rolf stomp his foot and return to his position as Will began to train with a new man.

"I have tried to speak to him, but he's not the most receptive man. Did you know him well when you were home?" Katya asked.

"Yes, he and I used to be
friends
when I was growing up. There was a point in time where I thought I would become engaged to him," Tamzin said as she felt the bitter taste in her mouth. She was thankful everyday she never had to marry Rolf. How did a sweet girl like Katya decide that he was the proper husband for her?

"Engaged? Princess, I am so sorry! I had no idea!" Katya exclaimed as she brought her hand to her mouth.

"No harm done, Katya. I never had any true romantic feelings for Rolf. He was just part of my growing up. If you feel that you care for him, please pursue him," Tamzin smiled before she winced slightly. She rarely felt comfortable these days and had never looked more forward than birth. She used to love feeling the baby move, but now it was nothing but pain and pressure when he moved even the slightest.