the haunted kingdom by Charles E.J. Moulton (snow like ashes txt) 📕

hope that my wife is not thinking any more about nightmares.” He caressed her ever so tenderly. “That is all I am concerned about, plum pie.”
Belinda shrugged and Steven looked her in the eyes. Dear sweet truth, those reindeer browns made him melt.
“I can’t afford it, Steven. If I would, I would burst. You keep bringing those topics up at the wrong moments don’t you? Are men always like that?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I can only speak for myself.”
She rubbed his gender again until it stood straight up above the water.
“Then speak of love,” she said and panted. “Speak of carnally nuptial desire.”
She moved away from her seat in the hot water, straddling his groin, slowly letting his manhood enter her fully, inch by inch. She rode him slowly and calmly. He took her breasts in his hands. “How can I think about nightmares when my dream come true is inside my body?”
He rubbed her back and let his hands stroke her derriere. Belinda closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of having her husband’s masculinity penetrate her gap.
“Wave your aunt goodbye, darling,” he whispered. “You were mumbling her name in sleep last night.”
Belinda stopped riding him and looked at Steven deep in the eyes. She sighed, his gender still inside her. “Really? I spoke of her in my sleep?” She rode him up and down a bit and then stopped. “What did I say?”
”Lucinda. Lucinda, when?”
She embraced him tenderly and Steven continued. “It has been on my mind all day. I could not help myself, but I could never tell you about it. You know that it has happened before.”
“I know, but I am fine with that idea.” She spoke, almost whispering now, caressing his wet hair. “My father said something very smart, sweetheart.” She looked at her husband and smiled, still riding his gender. “He said that no Winsletenna has ever been intimidated and I shall certainly not be the first one.”
She kissed him and their mouths were drenched in a mixture of sweat and thermal water and saliva. She stopped and sighed. “I shall never be intimidated again.” Lovingly, she began to ride him again. She closed her eyes and threw her head up as she continued. “My aunt’s biggest weapon is our fear. Since she has been responsible for broken promises before, I shall not count on this one either.” As she rode him, she finished: “I want to have children with you.” She panted again. “Let’s make some children. My dulcis viscus. Let us simply tell Lucinda that Re vera, cara mea, mea nil refert.”
Steven lifted his wife out from the water and stood up, holding her by the bottom, still inside her, and laid her next to the open fireplace on the sheepskin rug. Belinda moaned, as he licked her right earlobe while entering her again and again. “Let us tell her that. Children, here we come.”
The orchestra played a fast variation now. Apparently, they were inspired by whatever was going on inside the thermal bath or whatever they thought was going on. Belinda felt the difference now. It was fruitful love as opposed to dry, fruitless hate. Steven supported himself on both of his hands and watched her body convulse as he came into his spouse in spurts.
She wrapped her legs around him and embraced his back. Steven took her breasts in his hand and kissed their nipples. He felt himself tingle. Belinda squeezed her eyes shut, flashes of light and fire soaring through her body. The notes from the orchestra were a blur, the wind in the trees a race of silence. She felt the ground beneath her shake and the drops of water trickling down her body. Fire in her soul, wind in the trees, ground shaking, water on her body. The tempo all four elements was racing growing faster and faster, until the married couple began slowing down and finally fell down on top of each other in a tired sweat.
For a long while, the orchestra kept on playing the same tune over and over. The fire crackled inside the fireplaces and both of them lay there on sheepskin fur, camel fur and bison fur, silk covering their bodies just listening to the wind. Steven was caressing his wife’s hair.
Finally, breaking that silence, Belinda asked: “Steven!”
”Yes?” he responded, half in thought, captured by the dancing flames.
“Do you believe her?”
“Who?”
Belinda’s eyes moved heavenward. “Lucinda, of course. The woman we were speaking of.”
He responded without even thinking twice. “I believe your aunt is a frustrated woman who is angry because your father sent her away. I believe she has dark powers, but that those powers are unable to work unless we believe in them. Your experience should teach you the same. I believe it can be true only if we believe what she believes.”
She paused. “I hope so.”
He kissed her on the shoulder and brought Belinda her toga. She put it on.
“I’d rather you raise something else. You are going to be overworked when this honeymoon is over.” she said coyly and waddled onward, bending over and showing him her derriere. “Let’s make some more love. Give that child another chance to enter me.” Together they walked into the wardrobe hall to order the some supper. “After supper, that is.”
At supper that evening, by candlelight and torches and to Prosperanian music by who else but
Bantrard Silvermoon, they mutually decided this was their honeymoon and they intended to enjoy it without any conversation about this person that had disturbed their wedding feast.

November 1422

Belinda was worried that she was forgetting to be cautious. Then again, that was natural these days. She went back and forth between neglecting the memory and pondering over its reoccurring thoughts. Somehow royal people all over the continent waited for something to happen and soon, not knowing what would happen.
What had Lucinda said? Three plagues? When would the first one arrive? She had missed that.
Alexander pushed it all away, ignoring every rumour and every story.
Messengers were crisscrossing the continent with messages such as “Are you experiencing attacks?” Mormidar, once back in Madrid, inquired: “Is there Civil War yet? Is there a drought? A flood? Any plagues to speak of?” The rumours of Lucinda’s arrival had spread throughout the known world and people were saying that Lucinda was now officially back in Prosperania. Most of all, every one was surprised to see that things didn’t worsen. On the contrary, they improved.
Belinda, much to her surprise, was feeling great. Curse? No, no curse. Every problem was solved easily every issue was discussed thoroughly. Even Morgana and Patrick were behaving.
Furthermore, the young couple felt wonderful. The cooks and maids made new exotic dishes and desserts for them every single day. The spa in Urbania was a great experience in every way. In time they began stressing the fact that excursions would be a good asset to all the eating and all the love making and bathing. So, a time of discovery began. Listening to the private concerts, they felt culturally informed. Getting tours of the local villages and towns, they felt they had a grasp over the continent that they were ruling. They went on long excursions in the mountains and read each other poems when they couldn't sleep. They disappeared into their bedroom and stayed there for days on end, with regular breaks for food and calls of nature. The maids sniggered behind their backs and were calling the Prince "a stud."
Regularly, the maids would come in when Steven was not there. Finally, Belinda said that he was her husband and that she would have no more of this "juvenile gibberish“, but she had said it with such a disarming smile that the maids burst out, yet again, in fits of giggles.
She was getting quite sick of that, although it was quite funny.
Steven thought it all silly, but he always ended up laughing along with them.
What bothered Belinda with all of this was that she was being lulled into false insecurity. She felt as if she wanted to worry, but could not. Belinda was still dreaming strange dreams.
She was dreaming of standing in the sunflower field alone with a brilliant sunshine, looking at the horizon and seeing a gigantic black cloud coming her way. A piece of her mind was falling asleep, telling her: “Don’t forget that Lucinda always keeps her promises.”
The pregnancy was diagnosed on Friday the 17th of November that year and a messenger had already galloped away to notify the royal palace. By their arrival in Iuventus Sacrum shortly before Christmas everyone knew and it seemed that Clurafar, yes even the entirety of Prosperania knew about it.

Wednesday, December 23rd, 1422 A.D.

Within the colony of Urbania in the south of Alliland miles west of Vindobon by the colonies, where they had lived, the climate had miraculously stayed hot until way into the wintertime. Back in Clurafar, winter had arrived. The sturdy stallions had done a spectacular job in bringing the very well bundled up couple back to the palace. Their trip had taken many days and they had slept in numerous different palaces on the way home. Though they treasured foreign food, there was nothing as sacred as the fond warm home cooking of Mrs. Johnstone.
Iuventus was all in white when they returned, a winter wonderland. Poseidon covered in snow. Both the prince and the princess were dressed in large furs when they returned, laughing all the way home, giddy on the wine they had drunk in the carriage. They walked into the side entrance and brushed off.
“Belinda!” Alexander shouted, embraced her and laughed. He took her up and swung her around. She smelled of snow, perfume, winter, happiness and like his daughter. Ruby came and took her highness’ coat.
“All the fireplaces are stuffed with burning logs for you,” he mused.
Belinda stroked her father’s cheek.
“Nothing like getting drunk in front of the fire, huh, you rascal?”
Alex embraced Steven as Belinda rushed to Marie-Louise.
”Hi, Belinda! How are you?”
She gave him a hug.
“Let me introduce my husband, Belinda!” Belinda took the young man’s hand and knew very well that the young man at times helped them as a stable boy. “We are married, Lindy!”
Belinda shone up like a light. “No! Since when?”
“Since the beginning of November!” the young man said. “My name is Robert, your highness!” The young man was thin, unshaved and dark haired. In spite of his very weak outer appearance, the man had a disarming smile and dancing eyes. He kept to himself in the stable. After all, there were a dozen stable boys there. Now, he would spend more time here.
“Congratulations! Is she behaving well now, Robert?”
Robert nodded, shyly. “Yes. She’s the best!”
She hugged the couple. “Love you both!”
She walked to her father and they walked up the stairs.
"How many people have you told, Father?" she inquired, wide-eyed, as they arrived. Alex laughed, grinning proudly, as they cleaned off the snow off their shoes and coats.
"Just the entire country, my dear."
"Oh, father, you’re incorrigible." Geena came down from the Alexander-Room having arranged for the hot, spiced wine and dried fruit. "Oh, Geena, how are you, my dear? How is Rolf? “
"Oh, he hurt his back again by carrying too much weight around." She shook her head. "That man does not know he is old.“
"I am not old, Geena.." Rolf protested behind Belinda, joining them from the wine-cellar.
"Hello, Rolf." She said, walked up to him and hugged him.
"How was your honeymoon, my sweet?"
"Marvellous!" Belinda