Princess Astrid was walking through her rose garden, accompanied by her mother, the Queen. Once a week they took a stroll, just the two of them together, away from the bustle of the palace.
"Have you considered what we spoke of last?" the Queen asked.
"What was that, Mother, if you would be so kind to remind me?" But Astrid knew perfectly well what her Mother was talking about, she was just stalling. Instead of looking over at her, Astrid let her gaze fall on her beautiful roses. She held her hand out, caressing the petals softly.
"The ball, Daughter," the Queen spoke. "It is time for you to find a spouse, is it not? I would be delighted in arranging a ball of you, for you to find your Prince Charming."
"I don't know, Mother ..." Astrid did not want to marry. And certainly not get married to a prince. She had better things to do than play housewife and child bearer to a spoiled royal expecting her to leave everything in his hands.
"You need a spouse, Daughter," the Queen sighed. "The kingdom needs an heir."
"Pssh." Astrid waved that away with a sharp motion of her hand. She gasped in surprise when she felt a prick to her finger. Lifting her hand up, she saw how the thorn had pierced her finger--a drop of blood ran down her finger, and more were coming out.
The dizziness overcame her. "Mother," she mumbled, then felt herself falling. The last thing she felt was her Mother catching her and she heard her name being yelled before the darkness overcame her ...
* * *
Astrid was sitting in the middle of her rose garden. A thin, red gown was draped over her shoulders and it pooled out on the grass around her. Its color matched that of her roses completely.
What am I suddenly doing here? she wondered, puzzled. Last thing she remembered was pricking her finger on a thorn and being caught by her mother as she fell ... Mother wouldn't have left her in the garden like that. Not sitting--and not in an entirely new dress.
Astrid frowned down at herself, then was startled by movement at her side. She looked towards the direction of the movement and her eyes widened as she took in the woman standing there.
First thing she noticed was that the woman was wearing men's clothes, but they were tight and shoving off her feminine feature to perfection. Her hair was lose and didn't even reach her shoulders, falling around her face in loose curls. It was also pitch black, a color most unusual for this part of the country.
Her skin was also quite unusual--tanner than even the peasant women working the farms. Certainly a stark contrast to Astrid's pale one. Her eyes were most usual for the country though--a clear blue, like a cloudless sky at midday.
The woman was quite beautiful, Astrid couldn't help but notice, her breath catching at the exotic beauty of her.
The woman's lips curled into a small, wry smile and she started walking towards Astrid. Her eyes never left Astrid's face, and Astrid found she had a hard time breathing.
"Princess." The woman scooped down to take a hold of her hands, then pulled Astrid up on her feet.
Astrid made to step away from her, but the woman wrapped her hands around Astrid's waist, holding her tight against her own body. "Who are you?" Astrid gasped out, so surprised and turned on she didn't know what to do with herself.
"My name is Mirela," the woman replied, moving one hand up Astrid's back to caress the back of her neck.
"Why are you here? No one gets into my rose garden."
"In dreams, no one can stop you." The woman grinned, then bent down and caught Astrid's lips with her own.
Astrid couldn't think--not about Mirela's words, not about what was going on, nothing. Her mind blanked out the moment those soft lips covered her own.
She moved her hands up to clutch at the woman's shoulders. Mirela's tongue slipped past her lips and Astrid practically melted into it. Never before had she been kissed like this.
Before she knew it, she was lowered to the ground, splayed out on the soft grass warmed from the sunlight. Mirela was on her knees above her, looking down at her with lust in her yes.
Astrid had never felt like this before. Not with any of the men trying to get her attention--only one had ever gotten a kiss from her and that was because he'd tricked her--and not even with that young kitchen-maid she'd had her eyes on a few months ago. Nothing had happened there, of course, but here ...
If this was a dream, no one would ever find out. Here she could dream all she wanted.
And so she willingly spread her knees. Mirela's eyes flashed for a moment, then she was pressing down atop Astrid, kissing her to an inch of her life. One of her hands caressed Astrid's breast while the other pulled her dress up, running calloused hands up her soft thigh, getting nearer and nearer--
Astrid moaned, her head tilting back just a little. Mirela's mouth moved over her jaw, then down to nibble softly on her neck. And her hand ... never before had Astrif felt such pleasure. Mirela's fingers filled her, bringing her so far up she thought she was going to see stars, then stilled until shed come down from the hight, only to start moving again ...
Astrid parted her legs further, then wrapped one leg around Mirela's hips, moving her hips in time with Mirela's fingers. Her own hands were fumbling over Mirela's shirt, unlacing it clumsily. Then she unbuttoned the first button on her vest. She did not have to do more, because what she wanted was within reach.
Astrid slid her hands inside Mirela's shirt, finding her small but full breasts and massaging them gently in her hands, loving the softness of them. Nothing could be like this--marrying a man could never be as this. And Astrid wanted this. Nothing else.
"Princess ..." Mirela's voice whispered into her ear, turning Astrid on even more.
Astrid was not capable of answering. Her moans were getting louder, her rhythm faltering due to the intense pleasure she was experiencing. Moving one hand away from Mirela's breasts, she threw her arm over her head, muffling her screams into the crook of her arm.
Mirela's hands stilled, drawing back, and Astrid felt the loss immensely. She wanted the fingers back, wanted them filling her, pleasuring her again.
"No," she whispered hoarsely, "don't leave!"
"I have to," Mirela answered gently, but she kissed Astrid again, hard and passionate. "And so do you, my beautiful princess. You can not reside her any longer, you're needed back where you belong."
Mirela started to pull away, but Astrid grabbed for her, getting a hold of her forearm. "Just one more kiss, please," she begged, not wanting this exotic, wonderful woman to leave her.
Mirela smiled, then bent down slowly. Astrid watched her lips coming closer, until Mirela was so close she could not see properly anymore ...
* * *
... and Astrid's eyes opened. The feel of lips pressed against hers had woken her, but when her eyes regained focus and her body its functions, the soft lips drew away.
Astrid blinked in surprise, then focused on the one that had kissed her. If it was that idiot-- But her thoughts broke off as she took in the woman. Quite exotic, but with blue eyes usual for the country ...
"Mirela," she whispered.
"Yes, indeed." Mirela bent down, taking Astrid's hand in hers. "And what would your name be, my Sleeping Beauty?"
Astrid was having trouble breathing again. "Astrid," she managed to get out. "My name is, Astrid."
And Mirela kissed the top of her hand, eyes twinkling in the bright light inside the room. "So I managed to wake the young princess with a kiss. Looks like I've gotten both the princess and half the kingdom. Though, I'd much rather have just the princess."
Astrid caught her breath, then smiled widely. Pulling on Amala's hand, the woman bent down willingly. And Astrid caught her face in her hands, kissing her softly, lovingly, possessively ...
And she knew that now she would be happy. As Mother had so long wanted, she had found her Prince Charming ... or at the very least her Princess Charming. And they would live happily ever after.