XLII

They had remained silent, trying to blow off steam. In the end they both understood each other's motives, although Antoinette could not explain how he could not understand the pain she would have felt, no matter what. However it would have ended she would have died inside.

In the minutes that had passed she had also called the guard to remove the handcuffs from the young man. She couldn't stand seeing him like this, whether she wanted to or not, he was free now.

<< I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me.>> He whispered as he looked thoughtfully out the window.

His shoulder resting on the wall and his ankles crossed.

<< I don't want you to live a life you didn't want to have, because of me.>> He repeated with more conviction.

<< I would have lived it either way.>> She pointed out to him. She was still amazed by that statement.

<< Yes, but going on with life, you could never have blamed me, instead so you could come to regret it, to hate me and I don't want that.>>

<< Even if I do, you'll never know about it.>>

<< Do you think it helps me to think that way?>> He broke away from the wall, huffed and walked over to the woman who had stayed away from him all that time.

<< Being hated by you, princess, is comparable to the pains of hell.>> He placed his hands on her hips and rested his lips on her now uncovered shoulder.

The cloak was thrown over the bars.

Antoinette shuddered.

God how she had missed him.

She threw her head back and rested it on his chest.

<< He spoke softly in her ear as he gently stroked her bare arm with the knuckles of his hand.

<< Yes.>> He tried to say without letting the tremor in his voice be heard.

<< Did he allow you to say goodbye? >> She asked again.

<< He sighed as he felt her lips slide into languid kisses, from behind his ear, to his neck, to his shoulder. The hint of unkempt beard tickled her skin, making her shiver even more.

<< I don't want to leave.>> She whispered again, going with both hands to the straps of her dress.

<< I don't want you to leave.>> She sighed, letting herself be carried by his graceful touch as he slowly lowered the shoulders of her dress to her forearm.

She was liquefying under his touch and at his persuasive words.

<< I don't want to forget the scent of your hair.>> he said dipping his face into her coiffed hairstyle. << The taste of your skin.>> He returned to the base of her neck to take a small bite before running his tongue over it. << The warmth of your body.>> With his hands on her pelvis he pressed more against her.

One hand left her at belly level, the other slid slowly upward over her now tangled stomach.

<< The softness of your breasts.>> The hand reached the chest of the woman who held her breath for the emotion of that newfound touch.

<< The beats of your heart that accelerate when you get excited like this.>> He went up again caressing her breast until he reached where her heart was beating fast.

Strange, she thought, she could feel it in her throat.

<< Not to mention your hips, princess. God, your hips, when they were moving on me...>> She felt a punch in her belly at the mere memory.

<< Ah...Adrien...>> She found herself gasping as she felt the hand the young man had left on her lower belly press her even harder against him.

<< I don't even want to forget the feeling of being squeezed between your thighs.>> He caressed her body until he reached where he was allowed with his hands. From above her dress he tried to caress her inner thigh with his groin and thanked the lady for not putting on anything too pompous and with twenty layers of petticoat. She had dressed simply, to be inconspicuous.

Maybe she had stolen a dress from Bernadette, the boy thought.

Antoinette felt more and more eager for a new contact, maybe deeper and more intense. Between her legs she now had an unimaginable source of heat. She felt tremendously moist.

<< I would like so much to take you here, now. >> He said, returning with one hand to squeeze her breast and with the other to press on her intimacy.

<< In fact, it would be more correct to ask you to take me, to make me yours. >> He bit her earlobe. << I beg you, allow me to give myself to you. Use me for your pleasure.>>

At those words Antoinette could resist no more and turned her head as far as she could to make him understand what she wanted. Obviously it was what the young man wanted as well, so they started kissing each other with transport.

After a while he turned her around completely and pressed her to his chest, hugging her vigorously. He would never let anyone take her away from him, not now that they were belonging to each other again.

He gently pushed her back against the wall so that her back adhered to it and pressed himself into her even more.

He didn't want to let her go. He never should have let her go, really.

From her side he moved on to caressing one of her buttocks, then he grabbed her thigh and brought it to cling to her waist, he made space between her legs.

<< You will be mine forever.>> He whispered to her between a kiss on her mouth and an endless series of kisses on her jaw and neck.

<< I will only be yours, all my life.>> She sighed with difficulty.

He stopped caressing her body fervently and, without help, tried to pull down his pants.

Suddenly he stopped.

It wasn't right. He could not continue.

Antoinette looked at him perplexed.

<< You will regret it, I know you too well. You will think about the promise you made to the prince and...>>

Besides, he didn't like the idea of taking it like it was a quickie in a brothel.

The princess relaxed and smiled at him gratefully that he had pinned her down.

<< I thank you.>>

They recomposed themselves, she more easily even though she was still shocked by all that passion she felt still burning in her. He seemed to be in a lot of pain but tried not to mind.

<< So this is goodbye? >> He asked, taking her hand and drawing her to him.

<< I will dream of you every night.>> She whispered, resting her forehead on his chest.

<< I will spend the first years cursing you for doing this to me. >> He said smiling, but she knew there was a hint of truth behind it.

<< I knew you would.>> She sighed.

<< At least I won't have to see you so frequently.>> He looked for the silver lining.

<< Where will you go?>> She asked as she entwined her hands behind his back to clasp him at the waist.

<< To Provence.>> He stroked away a lock of hair that covered her face.

<< With lavender flowers.>> She said dreamily.

<< The first time I saw you, you were wearing a lavender dress.>> She recalled smiling.

<< At the market, she asked curiously.

<< You were lost among the many fruits, you had chosen cherries.

<< I love cherries.>> She asserted with a smile.

<< Then you went to a cloth merchant and bought a yellow ribbon.>>

The woman loosened her grip on the hug and brought her hands to her hair. Suddenly her hair fell back over her shoulders and a yellow ribbon dangled in front of Adrien's face.

The yellow ribbon.

The young man smiled shaking his head and lifted it from Antoinette's grasp.

<< I'm keeping this one.>>

<< So you will always know who you are tied to.>> She joked.

<> He held her in his arms again.

<< I will love you forever.>> She sighed, letting herself relax on his chest again.

<< I will love you forever, my sweet ladybug.>>

They both smiled at the memory of that story.

While they were cradling in their arms, the jailer entered the room, cleared his throat to attract the attention of the two and warned them that their time was up.

Adrien panicked, he still wanted to tell her many things, such as how he had found his father, why his parents had disappeared and how, during the interrogations, it was only her who gave him the strength to go on in silence.

<< I'll be terribly lonely without you.>> He said as he watched her hide her face in her hood.

<< Goodbye Adrien.>> She said softly as he let the latest arrival take him out.

<< Goodbye, my angel.>> He whispered defeated.