Must I Be Your Bride? - Chapter Twenty One

I am SO sorry! I have an explanation at the bottom of this page but honestly, you guy don't deserve my late chapters. I'm sorry... but my writer's block is slowly fading, so I hope I can keep going and finish this by this month!

PS: There won't be a picture this time, sorry!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
If you have a twitter then you follow me (I'll follow back:) @Emillie_LG:)

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I was awoken by wet, warm lips moving their way up my arm. It took me a while to realize I was actually enjoying my husband's lips.

"Ready to tell me what my surprise is," I ask.

"It turns out that you are married to the most handsome Prince on this earth."

I laugh. "You got that right."

"And I am married to the most beautiful girl in the universe."

I look at him. "It doesn't sound so cliché when you say it."

"It is true, Serene." He smiles before placing a kiss on my cheek and getting to his feet. "Now, once you're dressed we must be on our way. Your surprise is ready."

I also get up. "Ready?"

"Yes, ready." He smirks.

Knowing he wasn't going to budge, I quickly wash up and change into the dress the maids left for me in the closet - a black lace dress. I slipped on some boots and then rushed to William, who was already by the door.

As he led me outside I kept asking him to tell me hints, but I got nothing.

"Is it outside? Am I at least dressed appropriately?"

"Serene, do you honestly think the maids would dress you inappropriately for our honeymoon?"

I hesitate. "I don't know..."

"You look amazing, great, and perfect. Now please, be patient."

I smiled at his compliment and frowned at his "be patient".

We rode in a limo, which surprised me. The only time I've ridden in a car while in William's kingdom was when we had to go visit the sovereign. Thankfully, I didn't have my worried gut feeling.

The car windows were black - like literally, I could not see one thing.

"You're taking me to prison, aren't you?" I mutter.

He chuckles.

"I don't take surprises very well," I say.

"I can see that. Don't worry, we are almost there."

I sigh. "Can I at least have a kiss? I haven't had one yet."

He bends down, but at the last minute he ends up kissing my forehead, not exactly what I was hoping for.

"Not yet," He says softly.

I'll admit, I was a bit confused, but for some reason I didn't say anything.

When the car stopped, I immediately sat up and tried to somehow see through the dark window.

"Close your eyes," he orders. He repeats his order before I can complain, so I do.

So I'm practically blind when the door opens and I am led out by him. He twirls me around, and then I feel his lips on mine. I'm disappointed that it lasts for only a second. "Open your eyes," he whispers.

And as soon as I do, a gasp escaped from my mouth. "You own a ship?"

His hand links with mine and he starts pulling me toward the black forty feet tall boat and...I honestly couldn't even guess how wide it was. The edges were outlined with a real gold, distinctive hugging swirls hiding in it. It looked like an old-looking boat - it had pearly-white sails that were used for direction. I spotted three floors, each floor having about fifty windows.

A man waited for us at the end of the stairs, but he only greeted us. William was the one to lead us on deck.

"It's my father's," William says. "He's letting us borrow it."

"This is enormous William."

He leads me to some ritzy-looking marble stairs that led to the second floor, and then the third. Soon we were overlooking the ocean from the highest edge in the front of the boat.

"You didn't have to do this," I say, feeling quite foolish for not even considering on getting him a gift.

"I did, for my bride." He smiles as he holds my face in his hands, inspecting every feature I had. His lips playfully trace the sides of my cheeks, giving me the warmest chills. Before I could pull him in to a kiss, though, he wrapped his arms around my waist and faced me toward the ocean. That's how I noticed the boat was moving.

"Happy honeymoon," I say a bit breathless as I get used to the view.

He only pulled me closer to him.

William led me into what seemed to be a VERY fancy restaurant. Gold was everywhere - even the table had gold edges.

We were treated as any restaurant would treat us. Menus, waiters, water, soup... well the soup was sort of new to me.

When we finished eating, William gave me a tour of the boat, showing me the museum - yes, they had one - and the library. The library, wow, it was just amazing to see that so many books existed. The museum was more of an art museum, showing panting and carvings of William's past family. There was even one of his own family, a painting that was painted about two-hundred years ago.

When we made it outside, I realized that the sun was setting and was surprised at how fast the time went by. We went back to the "fancy restaurant" to have some delicious dinner.

After being fully satisfied, William led me down the stairs - right where the stairs ended. I knew we were at the bottom of the boat, and for some reason I found it exciting. I was eager to find an unbreakable window to see the view of the water. My wish was granted when William led me into our honeymoon suite.

First thing I saw when we stepped inside was the unbreakable (better be) glass walls. Both walls curved outward into a peak, making it obvious that we were at the front of the boat. The ocean water concocted with the shafts of moonlight ,gave the room such a beautiful mesmerizing color.

In front of the window was a navy blue love seat with some cotton pillows. A glass table was set right in front of it.

To my left was a pretty large marble kitchen with the sharpest-looking wooden cupboards that matched the floor.

I hadn't noticed that William was pulling me toward a room until the kitchen disappeared from behind a wall. I turned around, and again, was aghast.

The room was as large as William's room back at the castle. A bed with an exquisite wooden headboard was against the wall, facing, yet again, blue glass wall. Pearly-white covers were accompanied with ocean-blue pillows. A dresser and two night-stands - that held some lit candles - were also in the room, there wood matching the bed's headboard.

What appalled me the most was the dozens of blue rose petals that surrounded the room - on the bed, on the dresser, on the night-stands; everywhere but the floor. And right in the middle of the bed were a bouquet of roses wrapped in the perfect bow. I couldn't help but smile.

"This," William says, shocked, "Was not my doing." Then he says, "Well, except the flowers."

I laugh. "It's beautiful."

As I take in a deep breath, my heart starts to get hyperactive, and actually causes me stumble as I try to take a step closer to William. The smile that forms on his lips only makes this an even more nerve-wrecking and heart-beating moment.

He gracefully takes the steps to get closer to me, slides his hands on the back of my neck, and leans in for a kiss - if that's what you would even call it. It was barely a kiss - more like a peck. I could only stare at him in shock and disappointment when he backs away.

"Not yet," he whispers in my ear.

"Why not?" I sounded like such a puppy, that I suddenly felt sick.

"The day is not over." His hands trails down my shoulder and arm until it find my fingers.

"This is how the day is supposed to end," I mutter with hesitation.

"I don't want it to end yet," he says.

I back up a bit to look into his bluish eyes. "Why don't you want to do this?"

He smiles a bit, his head shaking. "Don't get into any conclusions."

"Well how can't I?" I say a bit frustrated. "I mean... your excuses don't sound very -"

With an exasperated sigh, he grabs each of my legs with each of his hand and wraps them around his waist, silencing my gasp with his lips.

His lips linger on mine, then on my cheekbones, then on my neck. He backs up for a swift moment, wide eyes looking into mine, and then I feel the bed on my back. Fingers entwine with mine and my hands are above my head in seconds.

"We can still wait until later," he whispers in my ear, giving my spine a good quiver.

"No," I breathed. I barely had a time to catch my breath before his soft lips met with my desperate ones.

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So my friend's mom recently died and I sort of wanted to somehow dedicate this story to her, which didn't work out so well. But she loved flowers and that's why I added the rose petals. Well, the idea of dedicating this to her made me think on how I was going to write this and the week of thinking just turned into WEEKS, so I'm sorry. I love you readers and you guys are the only reason why I even begin writing again.

In Memory Of My Friend's Mom.