“Is he well?” I asked Janna in a hushed voice.
“O-oh, yes!” the apothecary’s apprentice chirped, struggling to keep her composure, “I mean, yes, your highness. Sir Benhart has made excellent progress on his recovery, uhm, your highness.”
“That is good.” I replied, keeping my tone even, “Your master’s potions are quite impressive. You have been as well, Janna. I’m certain you will make a great apothecary one day.”
Janna beamed, her cheeks flushing red as she stammered, “Th-thank you, your highness.”
I nodded politely before asking, “Is Sir Benhart awake?”
“Yes, your highness.” Janna answered.
“I see.” I murmured, “Janna, please leave us for now. I will send for you later after I have spoken with Sir Benhart.”
The apothecary’s apprentice looked uncomfortable, obviously way of leaving her patient unattended, but she nodded hesitantly and said, “As you wish, your highness.”
I gave Janna a pleasant smile as she left, and quickly discarded the expression as the door to Benhart’s quarters closed behind her. I listened until the soft tread of Janna’s footfalls crept down the hall, then I carefully locked the door. I walked through the small common area until I stood at the threshold to Benhart’s modest bedchambers. Benhart opened his eyes and looked up to see me standing at the door. His shoulder-length hair was unkempt, and his rugged jaw was covered in a dusting of facial hair, a far cry from the ordinarily well-groomed knight that I was used to seeing.
“May I enter?” I asked softly, doing my best to keep my tone level.
“Ha!” Benhart laughed, “You never need ask permission to enter one of your knight’s quarters, your highness.”
I gave Benhart a warm smile that didn’t reach my eyes, “Even so.” I said, “I felt, given the circumstances...”
“Bah!” Benhart barked, “Wounded or not, I am still your shield, your highness. To tell the truth I had expected to see you sooner, but I suppose the life of a prince keeps you too busy to check on a skewered dog like me! Ha!”
It warmed my heart to see Benhart’s jovial nature unharmed, but even in jest, his words struck closer to my heart than he realized.
“I, I had meant to visit you sooner, Sir Benhart.” I replied.
I stepped past the threshold of Benhart’s bedchambers and walked towards the small wooden chair that had been set beside the bed for Janna. I sat down and looked at my loyal knight. Benhart’s body had always been an impressive one. Muscular without being overly brawny, well-proportioned and with just the right amount of dark brown hair on his chest. While other men of strength were described as bear-like, Benhart was more easily likened to a wolf. Ruggedly handsome with a physique that had left many a maiden swooning.
Benhart’s body was not without scars, however they leant him a slight air of danger. The masculine appeal of a seasoned warrior. My eyes fell to the bandage just above his hip and my mood soured. Benhart would soon have a new scar because of my foolishness.
“You are staring, your highness.” Benhart said with a smile, “I promise, the wound is truly not as bad as it looks.”
“Has Janna been treating you well?” I asked.
“Oh, the lass has done a fine job.” Benhart answered jovially, “To tell you the truth, your highness, if I was a younger man I might have fallen in love with the girl!”
I smiled at Benhart’s candid remark, but the expression soon faded. Benhart’s steely grey eyes studied my sullen features and his brow furrowed in concern.
“Is something wrong, your highness?” Benhart asked.
“I, I have come to apologize.” I admitted with a tremor in my voice, “Were it not for my actions, Sir Benhart, you would not have been wounded.”
Benhart’s eyes widened at the use of his title.
“Your highness?” he asked, taken aback by my unusual formality.
I held my hand up to silence him as I continued, “It was my foolishness that led to this. For your valor, I am here to offer you the chance to retire as knight protector.”
“You will be compensated handsomely and given a—”
“No!” Benhart snapped.
I flinched from the anger in Benhart’s refusal.
“Absolutely not!” Benhart continued, “I will not be tossed aside because some brigand ran me through with a knife!”
“I, that is not—” I stammered, unused to seeing Benhart like this.
“I swore to serve you, Prince Dorian.” Benhart growled, “I intend to follow through on that oath until the day that I am too old to lift a sword!”
I looked away, unable to meet Benhart’s steely eyes. I felt like an admonished child and my cheeks flushed with shame. The silence crept onward as I stared at my lap, uncertain of what to say. I nearly jumped when Benhart’s hand clasped my wrist.
“Is that why you took so long to come visit me?” Benhart asked, his tone soft, “Out of guilt, your highness?”
“Yes.” I admitted, meeting his gaze once more.
“I know you mean well, your highness.” Benhart continued, “But you wound my honor with such thoughts that I would abandon my oath over a new scar. Now, I won’t hear any more of your apology. I am and will continue to be your knight protector.”
“Thank you, Benhart.” I said gratefully.
“Bah!” Benhart brushed away my words, “To tell you the truth, your highness. The worst thing about bedrest is the lack of, er, ‘company’ if you understand my meaning.” he complained.
“Company?” I asked.
“Yes, you know. ‘Company'... Of the maidenly variety.” Benhart said with a sly grin.
“I’m not certain I understand.” I said sheepishly.
“I’m talking about women, your highness.” Benhart said bluntly, “Aye, don’t get me wrong, Janna’s a lovely lass, but there are some ‘aches’ that her salves can’t fix.”
“Oh!” I blushed, “I, I see.”
“Ha! I thought you’d understand, your highness.” Benhart laughed, “But no matter. I’ll be out of this bed in just a few more weeks and back in the arms of some barmaid! When I have leave, of course.”
I felt something hot and sharp flare in my chest. Was that... Jealousy? It was. I was jealous at the thought of Benhart sharing a bed with some, some drunken harlot! I was struck by a sudden urge, an urge I had ignored for years, but one that I couldn’t ignore anymore. Perhaps if Benhart wouldn’t accept my apology, he would at least accept my body. Benhart watched as I rose suddenly from the wooden chair, cocking an eyebrow in curiosity.
“Your highness?” Benhart asked.
Without a word a pressed my soft hand against Benhart’s muscular chest and gently pushed him down against the mattress of his bed. Benhart’s shock was obvious as I leaned over him, staring into his steely eyes before pressing my lips against his in a kiss. I was relieved when Benhart didn’t resist. After a moment that felt like an eternity, our lips parted. My heart thundered in my chest as I realized what I was about to do.
“Your highness, this, this is—” Benhart whispered.
“Hush.” I interrupted, “You refused my apology. Don’t deny me this too.”
I pushed myself away and stood by Benhart's bedside. Timidly, I grabbed the hem of my silk tunic and pulled the garment up and over my head before uncertainly tossing the garment aside. I was so unlike my knight protector. Where Benhart had the muscular ruggedness of a fighter, I had always been far more lithe. I had a sleek, lightly muscled body with just a hint of the fat of youth that rounded my features nicely. A tender body born from a life of royalty. Benhart gazed upon may naked chest without a word he had seen my body many times before, but never like this. My cheeks burned as I kicked my shoes away and hooked my fingers into the waist of my trousers and undergarments. After a moment's hesitation, I pushed the last of my garments down my slender thighs. My trousers and undergarments fell to my ankles, and I stepped away from them, leaving them piled on the floor.
With a small effort, I forced my hands to my sides, leaving myself exposed to Benhart's steely eyes. I watched, my heart thundering with desperate need, as Benhart's gaze drifted across my nakedness. His eyes traveled from my sleek chest and down across my taut belly. I swallowed as Benhart's gaze passed by the shock of auburn hair that adorned my groin and lingered on my manhood. After a moment that could not have been longer than a heartbeat, Benhart's grey eyes met mine once more.
"You are beautiful, your highness." Benhart said.
Beautiful. Not handsome, nor strapping, nor even dashing, but beautiful. The word sent a thrill up my spine, and I felt my cheeks flush with heat.
I grabbed the edge of the blanket covering Benhart's lower body before I asked, "May I?"
Benhart nodded wordlessly and I pulled the blanket away, blushing as I saw that he was clad only in a pair of undergarments. My hands shook as I sat beside him, and the weight of what I was about to do settled upon my slender shoulders. For several long moments I simply stared at Benhart's undergarments as if I could will the impeding article of clothing away. Benhart laid a calloused hand on my shoulder and gave me a firm squeeze. I calmed my nerves and timidly hooked my fingers beneath the waist of Benhart's undergarments.
With all the grace of a virgin, I drew Benhart's undergarments from his hips and swallowed nervously as I revealed the thick thatch of black hair that rested on his groin. I pulled the garments down Benhart's muscular, coarsely haired thighs and gasped as I revealed his manhood. Even flaccid, Benhart's member was a sizable beast that would have surely intimidated even the most experienced barmaid, let alone an inexperienced prince. I slipped Benhart's undergarments off his ankles and tossed them to the floor among my own discarded clothing. For a moment I considered leaving, running away from the desires coursing through me, but I knew that even if I did, this moment could not be forgotten by either of us. I crawled further onto Benhart's bed and straddled his muscular legs, feeling his coarse body hair brush against my naked flesh.
We were beyond words now. My movements were driven by passion and an ache to please the man that had so valiantly defended me. I placed my hands on either side of Benhart's chest and my heart beat faster as his calloused hands found my hips and supported my weight. I pressed my lips to his,