The King's Mistress

Chapter 80: Will You Be Mine?

Her eyes widened as her mouth dropped open in shock.

"You knew?" She asked in disbelief.

This had got to be a dream, she rationalized in her mind. How could Alistair have known? If so, why had he not said anything? Why was she still alive?

"I always knew," he chuckled as he carefully tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, "Yet you still continued to surprise me at every turn. How do you achieve that, sweetling? You have to teach me your secrets one day."

Sierra was still in disbelief and had not uttered a word. After some time, she closed her mouth and pondered over it.

"When?" She asked.

"When did I find out?" He asked to clarify.

Sierra nodded.

"Since the first time we met in the forest," he replied.

"No," she shook her head in disbelief, "That’s not possible. That... we... you’re lying."

Alistair chuckled, "I’m not lying. I swear it. I speak the truth, nothing but the truth."

Sierra replayed the events of that night in her mind. She realized what gave it away. At that moment, she still had not been asked to change out of her usual clothing. Her casual outfit was the one she had been wearing for days.

No respectable princess would wear pants. Or at least, that was what the nobles might say.

"To be fair," he said as he placed his hands on her arms as he continued to speak, "That was when I had my suspicions. Your mannerisms, the way you spoke... the way you moved... weren’t very princess-like."

She wanted to defend herself. But there was nothing to defend. He has said it as it was. Sierra had never been brought up to be a princess. Even though she had learned all the decorum and mannerisms, it was not in her nature to abide by them.

"But once you were in the castle, it was a little difficult to detect. You play the part well, sweetling," he said with a smile.

Realizing that Alistair knew all along brought about another revelation. She took a step away from him as her expression turned dark.

"If you already knew all this time, it means that you know full well that I can never become your concubine, right? So..." putting her thoughts together, she came to a conclusion, "So you’ve just been toying with me all this time?"

The revelation broke her heart. Moments before they had shared a moment of closeness she never thought possible. Now, she wondered if she had once again been lied to.

Alistair immediately leaped into action. He knew what the look on Sierra’s face meant. Her faith in him was fleeting fast. All because of a theory she had pieced together based on a specific set of events.

None of which were true. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. She struggled a little but he was persistent and refused to let go.

"I’ve never toyed with you, sweetling. At first, I was amused by your antics. You’re so different from the rest. Then..."

"Then what?" Sierra was impatient. She wanted to know what he meant. The internal turmoil she had brewing within her was agony.

"Then I realized how much I want to keep you by my side. Regardless of the opinions of others, no matter what power they may hold, I want to keep you as close as possible."

He tightened his arms around her, hoping that his physical touch would be able to transmit the feelings he had for her. Sierra could hear his heart pounding in his chest. Her heart was pounding too.

"But I can never be your concubine," she sighed, "How would we ever be able to be together?"

She was genuinely looking for a solution. She was almost willing to do anything to be with him.

"We can, but you might not have a title. Would you be alright with that?" He asked her, wondering what her reply would be.

As cruel as it was, perhaps this was part of his plan to test her, to see if she genuinely wanted to be with him.

"So I would be... like your mistress?" She grimaced at the thought of it.

Alistair chuckled, "Yes, something like that."

Sierra looked away for a moment.

"Does that mean I need not attend those stuffy functions you royals always have to go for?" She asked him out of curiosity.

Her question caused him to burst out in laughter. He was laughing so hard he was clutching his stomach, with tears in the corner of his eyes.

"What’s so funny?" Sierra pouted as she folded her arms.

"Of everything, that’s what you’re worried about?" He asked.

"You can’t deny it, Alistair. Those functions are always so boring and they go on and on forever!" She reasoned.

He pulled her in closer as he took time to reply to her question, "Well, you may still have to appear at a few functions. But I’ll let it slide if you decide not to attend. " ƒreewebɳovel.com

He looked at her with an arched eyebrow, "Does this count as you saying yes?"

"I..." Sierra was blushing beet red.

Her words had unknowingly led her to an answer she had not dared speak. She pursed her lips, deep in thought.

"I want to be with you, but I don’t know about the idea of being your mistress. It just seems so..."

"So...?"

"So slutty. Like you’re just using me to warm your bed or something," she grumbled.

"Oh, you need not worry about that, sweetling. There are women lining up to warm my bed at night. You need not worry yourself with that."

Sierra grabbed him by the collar and was about to give him a piece of his mind when she realized he was simply teasing her.

"So you do want to warm my bed?" He asked again, testing her limits.

She crossed her arms as she glared at him. The burning red on her cheeks had not subsided. He knew how to push her buttons, that was for certain.

"I’m not answering that," she finally spoke, turning away from him. freewebnøvel.coɱ

Alistair came up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder as he whispered into her ear, "Perhaps I should warm your bed instead? Would that be more to your liking, my sweetling?"