Her Mating Scheme

Chapter 3

A few minutes ago, one of the drunk lords jumped out at the women from around a maze corner. Her court had separated, yelling with joy, and the men who were looking for them came after them. She had been turned around and found herself by herself.

She thought she knew where she was in the maze, but after three turns that should have led her to the main, wide path through the hedges, she found herself in this square yard with a bench in the middle.

She turned on her heel and growled in anger. She meant to go back and try again, but she stopped.

She was by herself for once. Really by yourself.

Because it didn't happen very often, she would have usually done everything she could to just enjoy it. But she couldn't deny that the event was dangerous because people from all the nearby Kingdoms were there with their staff. She was a prize—to marry or take away. The words of her Knight Defender kept playing over and over in her mind. Know how to get out of any situation.

She looked around the little dead end she was in as she turned around. There was a secret escape route hidden behind that tree in the corner. Only she, her parents, and the staff who made it knew about it, assuming they weren't dead. That way, she could get out if someone bad came in. But her nerves started to twitch. Taking the ruling heirs hostage wasn't just an idea to her. Years ago, someone tried to kill her, but she wouldn't think about that now. She was able to handle things on her own. It was enough for her to have a plan.

Being lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the heavy footsteps until a dark figure walked into the opening.

The thud made her turn around in hope that her Lion Lord had found her. But her face quickly fell. He saw a broad, squat figure in the dark. It wasn't a stranger; it was Lord Miller's clear size. The son of her father's main advisor, and Sonia's present love interest. He is also her second Lady in Waiting.

She said, "Oh, hello, Fordes," trying to hide the sadness in her voice. "I don't know where the others are. Maybe if you try around the corner—"

He stumbled over to her and muttered something.

She asked, "What was that?"

"I said, d'you think you can trap me, Princess?" He couldn't speak clearly. "I've seen the way you stare at my chest."

She opened her eyes. Did she do that to Fordes? She didn't believe it. To be honest, she found the man disgusting. She couldn't say that though when their dads were around.

"I'm very sorry if I embarrassed you, Fordes. I had no intention—"

He growled, "Okay, I'll take payment now." Suddenly, he had his hand around her wrist like a chain and pulled her into his chest.

Diane leaned against his, admittedly, big chest as her heart beat fast. The base and pagan Kingdom of Summitras was run by a King and Queen that her parents had sworn a blood war against. "Unhand me, Fordes! Are you a Summitran suddenly?" Their name was the worst thing that could happen to a Nouthurnn. But her order was not followed.

He rasped, "Why? Isn't this what you want?" His wine-tainted breath washed over her face as he dropped his thick lips to hers, and she suddenly choked on his tongue of all things!

She shrieked her protest as she tore her mouth away from his. He laughed and played with her skirts while continuing to try to kiss her. His big arms wrapped around her like steel bars.

She growled, "Don't make me hurt you, Fordes!" "What would Sonia think?"

He just laughed. "You're hot when you're angry, Diane ."

It was the last blow. Just as she felt something beautiful and warm come alive in her chest, she twisted in his arms to get her feet in the right place, hooking one shoe foot behind his ankle. Then she used his bigger size against him with a grunt that would have made her mother pale. She leaned forward in a snap that pushed her bottom into his hip and pulled down on his arm like it was the steel bar she had just talked about.

Fordes yelled like he was being choked as he threw himself over her leg and fell hard on his back, hitting the grass with a loud thunk.

She hadn't let go of his arm, so she pulled it up and put her high-heeled slipper on his throat while holding his arm straight. His fingers were bent back so far that they were almost going to break.

"One wrong move, Fordes," she said through her teeth. "I can either put my heel through your jugular or snap your arm like a tree branch. I could also choose to twist off your... limb." What was that thing? For this situation, she had only ever heard the guys call them carrots or other vegetables, which wasn't scary. She growled to hide her upset feelings: "So...will you give up or force me to hurt you?"

"What-what happened? What are you doing?" the man asked, sounding shocked like a kid who just woke up from a bad dream. Diane's face turned up in disgust, and she spoke up to tell him that he was making the crown look bad.

A warm, lazy voice from a few feet away said, "I think the lady is telling you to keep your paws and tongue to yourself from now on."

TRYSON’S POV

Tryson had been following the string that was tied to his ribs since the moment he walked into the maze. He kept going until he found the way that would lead him to her. It became clear to him as he left the house and walked through the gardens that he could feel her, not just her presence. He could also feel some of the things she felt.

And she had been stressed for thirty minutes into this crazy time. But with hope.

Just as he turned another corner, he felt her heart jump and then fall. He clenched his teeth all of a sudden. What was going on with her?

He hurried around the last corner, and as the maze opened up into a clearing, he saw her silhouetted by the moon... with another guy. This made him feel alive.

He stopped dead in his tracks until he heard her slap the bad guy and realised it wasn't a hug. He was giving her a hard time.

He burst in a fiery fit of rage in his chest, right where that impossible pull kept pulling at him. He hadn't even taken a step when she turned around, putting the jerk on the ground and threatening to... Did she just say "twist off his limb"?

He couldn't believe it when he saw her kill the brute.

She was beautiful.

She was going to be his.

In a low voice, he made sure his title sounded strong as he said, "I think the lady is telling you to keep your paws—and your tongue—to yourself in future."

*****

DIANE’S POV

His words made her heart skip a beat. The reason her skin was tingling was because her Lord had found her. She was so happy when she looked up.

When she saw him for the first time, it was strange. Finally, something inside her cried out! He took a step towards her, but then he stopped, glared at the man under her foot, and then stepped back.

She threw Fordes' arm to the side and lifted her skirts to jump over him. She didn't pay attention to his grunt when, in her haste, her heel caught on his ribs. She almost forgot about herself so much that she threw herself into the Lion Lord's chest. But she stopped just in time, stopping only a few inches away from him. She felt a pull inside her that made her want to get closer.