Albrecht’s Pearl 56

 Chapter 56

***

"Left foot, right foot."

The chanting began again.

Feeling as if they were alone in a world of white, Louise took one magical step after another, her eyes full of desire that she would never have dared to utter.

Normally, she would not have dared to speak, but the winter wind had taken over. Her lips parted and she muttered.

"..................If my parents are at fault, I'll work hard to repay them."

The man stopped chanting and listened to Louise.

"If it helps you."

It took a lot of courage to finish the impulsive question.

But Louise didn't stop. Her feet lifted off the ground, and she decided to forget about the topic for just that long. 

"......Will you forgive them someday?"

She ended up looking surprised. Seeing Louise's surprise, Caius burst out laughing.

"Well, you'll have to work harder for that."

Louise blinked her emerald eyes slowly.

She thought he was going to ask her if she was crazy.

She thought he'd be so far away from her that she couldn't hear him, so far away that she couldn't see his expression.

But he laughed. He didn't cut her off like a knife.

Her heart leapt in her chest and she slid a little closer to him.

Caius stood firmly where he was, even as he watched her approach.

When she leaned her forehead back against his firm chest, he asked, incredulous.

"I'm a little confused. Is this a fall or a hug?"

"..................Make of that what you will."

Louise replied as brazenly as she could. Her fragile heart thumped uncontrollably.

After leaning against him for a moment, the man stretched out his left hand and slowly wrapped around her waist. His body was warm against the cold wind.

"I know you never learned to skate, but did you learn to waltz?"

Louise looked up, startled.

Caius was his usual impassive self.

Perhaps, in the distance, the Count and Countess of Nas were watching. He was just trying to show them. Even knowing that, her tongue dried up.

“I've learned it, but I've never danced it properly............."

Louise stammered pathetically, but the man's lips curved in a cool way.

"Well, it doesn't matter, I know how to dance."

Her pulse thudded in his grip.

Just standing in the middle of the silent ice, a melody rang in her ears just for holding hands with him.

Instruments of all kinds wailed on the wind. The sun in the sky was like a bright chandelier.

It was her first waltz with a partner who wasn't her mother. Her heart was pounding so hard she wondered if she was running.

Her clumsy feet in skates felt like she was walking on clouds. Every step was sweet as a dream, and every glance tingled her bare skin.

The snow-white landscape swirled around her.

Her lips curled into a dreamy smile. Louise threw her arms around his neck in a panic, risking a fall.

Her parted lips invaded his freshly softened flesh. Unlike the harsh night, it was meltingly soft, and her eyes watered. His hot breath, his body heat, made her heart race.

Oh, I shouldn't love this man.

Every time she touched him, the spell she had been chanting in vain melted away like snowflakes in the sun.

I should never, ever love this man.

***

"Don't sleep."

After dinner, Caius whispered to Louise as she rose to her feet. Louise blushed for a moment, but then nodded and turned away.

The nervousness of their departure had eased considerably.

The evening had seemed quite long to Caius, who would have taken Louise there in the snow during the day if the Count and his wife hadn't been watching.

"The waters of Nas are very smooth. I'm sure His Excellency will appreciate it today."

Caroline's joke stung.

Regardless, Louise would enjoy her first trip to the springs, and Caius was alone with Theobald again.

Theobald had been in good spirits ever since he'd returned from the lake during the day. As planned, they looked like a happy couple in his eyes.

With that in mind, Caius was a little surprised by Theobald's surprise question.

"You were the first to fall in love, weren't you?"

"..................?"

Theobald laughed coolly.

"I apologize. I hope that wasn't too rude of me to ask, you two look so good together."

"Ah."

Caius nodded in understanding. He rubbed his neck in a deliberate shrug.

"Elizabeth had been like a nanny and a mother to me, and it's only fitting that she should bring me what I need most, in the form of the face of someone I longed to have back."

"Come to think of it, she also had dazzling blonde hair."

Theobald smiled, looking rather more paternal than Ferdinand, and said pleasantly.

"Heidenberg and Ermoli, let's see a second generation with a clear lineage."

Caius shook his head in disbelief.

Second generation. With everything going on, he hadn't given it much thought, he replied, mixing in just the right amount of truth.

"I'll think about it once I've gotten through the year."

Theobald refilled the empty glass in front of Caius.

 "You can't get the joy of a child anywhere else in the world. It's why I cling to Caroline so tightly." 

Caius smirked, clutching his glass.

"Did you say you have eight children?" 

"Yes, Your Highness. There was one more, but unfortunately he passed away. Next time I see you, I'll be sure to introduce my children to you."

He urged him to wait until later in the morning to introduce the children, as the outcome was not guaranteed. Kids can't lie, after all.

Caius smiled wryly.

"I can't wait for that day to come."

***

When he returned, Louise was still drying her hair, which roused Pauline, who was still in the room, to her feet.

"Well, I think I'll leave you to it."

Caius nodded thoughtfully.

Louise stood up, tossing her slightly damp hair to one side.

"It's almost dry, I stayed in the hot springs longer than I thought.................."

"How was the hot springs?"

Caius asked, pulling Louise's hand toward him. He placed it against his tightly bound cravat, and her slender hand began to move gingerly.

"It's so strange, I haven't even soaped it, and the water is slippery."

Caius looked down into the childlike green eyes and the corners of his mouth curled, and soon Louise's white fingertips were tugging at the blue cravat.

In the meantime, Caius unhooked his pocket watch and set it on the nightstand. Then he moved Louise's hand to the top of his vest.

"So you're all slippery now, too?"

The flirtatious question caused her to pause in her unbuttoning for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. Perhaps she had gotten used to hearing his teasing.

"Well, a little.................."

She replied slowly, concentrating on the button.

"I do feel like my skin has softened, though, which is why the Countess is so young for her age.................."

Caius leaned down and kissed Louise's ear. It was enough to make her want to rip off his shirt.

"I'm not interested in other women's flesh. What about you? Do you have anything that could be softer?"

He moved down to the nape of her neck and brushed her cheek, as if testing her touch. Louise gasped and tried her best to peel off his shirt.

"Quickly, Louise."

Caius echoed, his fingertips groping. The more he tried, the more Louise's hands got tangled in a mess.

She hadn't even gotten his shirt off before she jumped.

 "Oh, Your Highness................"

He wrapped his hands around Louise's waist and pulled her into a hug, sending them tumbling down onto the bed.  This forced her to sit with her legs spread over his thighs.

"Why..................."

Impatiently, he pulled off his undone shirt.

Heat was already rising beneath the close fit.

"Don't say you didn't know how much I've been holding back all day."

***

*Thought: this couple has been at it a lot lol.

***

To donate for extra chapters for my series or to tip me visit my kofi page 

https://ko-fi.com/doradora