Title: The Queen and the Soldier
Author: Sairalinde
Type: RPH/RPS
Pairing: Liv/Sean B. and Viggo/Orli
Rating: Explicit Sex
Warning: A.U. fairytale type thing.
Beta: Glorfindel
Website: www.lordsofgondor.com
Live Journal: www.livejournal.com/users/sairalinde
Disclaimer: This never happened...if it did well let's just say I'd be really surprised! Basically this story is based on the song The Queen and the Soldier by Kate Rusby and Kathryn Roberts. The story is original and I look at A.U. like I was writing a movie and if I was going to use the cast from the LOTR what parts I would have them play. I am only using names and physical descriptions of real people, but don't know them blah, blah, blah. This was written in fun that's all.
Feedback: Yes, please send to Sairalinde @ hornofgondor.com
Archiving: Anywhere you want it just let me know.
Notes: Set in a somewhat mixed Colonial/Medieval era. The Queen is 18 and the Prince is 19. Sean is 30 and Viggo 32, just so you can understand the references to age that are made in the story. I know it's not accurate it's A.U. remember? ;-)
Summary: War has raged between the Northern and Southern nations for the past 25 years. The young Queen Olivia of the North and the young Prince Orlando of the South want peace, but there are some who don't want peace. Viggo, Sean, Orlando, Miranda, and Liv have to work together to bring peace and overcome Liv's controlling Uncle Hugo. (Apologies ahead of time to Hugo and Karl fans.)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Lyrics that inspired the story as performed by Kate Rusby and Kathryn Roberts can be found here: http://www.livejournal.com/users/sairalinde/13067.html

------------------------------------------------------------

[Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6]

---------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3

The next evening Lord Mortensen arrived and not long after Colonel Bean arrived.

Miranda led them to a parlor and the two men spoke briefly of the war. Mortensen was confused about the Colonel's presence but did not ask any pointed questions. He would ask Liv later.

When Liv entered the chamber wearing a beautiful velvet gown of royal blue Viggo heard the Colonel's sudden intake of breath. Liv was beautiful, though Viggo had known her since she was a child and never thought of her in that way before. Even when describing her to the Prince he had found it hard to convey, because he still saw her as that bright and pretty five year old that he played tricks on and made laugh when he was a teenager. Seeing the other man's reaction to his friend confirmed there was something more here.

"My lady." Viggo said first bowing to his queen.

"Your highness." The Colonel soon said bowing as well but instead of just bowing he kissed her hand. Viggo watched intrigued as the young queen blushed. Viggo wondered what had been going on? Any man even a soldier without title could be hung for that behavior.

They went to the dining hall and Miranda served them. They spoke of the war, and Viggo and the queen spoke of literature while the Colonel merely listened.

After dinner the queen invited them to accompany her to her chamber to discuss matters concerning the war. Viggo noticed that the servant Miranda was just outside the door. Surely the queen wouldn't discuss their plan in front of this Colonel Bean character? He could be a spy for Hugo!

"My lady…" Viggo began but the queen shook her head and took off her crown setting it on the table.

"Please Viggo, don't be so formal." She said smiling.

"Liv…what is this about?" He asked trying to be discreet.

"I have a peace plan outlined. Colonel, will you please give the dispatches to Viggo?" She asked pouring wine for the two men and herself.

"What dispatches?" Viggo asked stunned. What had the queen and this Colonel been up to? What had his lover been up to? He suddenly wondered realizing the dispatches were from the Prince!

Sean handed him the dispatches, explaining about the young man he had slain. Explained about reading the dispatches and then bringing them to the queen. He wanted answers and she gave them to him. He only wanted to keep his men from dying if he could.

A good officer always thinks of his men first. Viggo thought, and this man is a good officer. Loyal, to his queen, just as I am. A man to be trusted.

The three of them talked for hours working out how to set their plan into to motion. The Colonel would get word to the troops, the rank and file not the other officers. They couldn't trust all of the officers to be as loyal as the Colonel. Many of them may be in Hugo's pocket.

Viggo was to spread word among the gentry like himself. Those who were loyal to the queen and not Hugo. Those who refused to profit from the war. They were not extinct creatures he assured. He would also talk to the Prince who would inform his troops.

The Queen drafted letters of peace to Prince Bloom. His father the king though not dead yet was unable to run the country so the Prince had been in charge for over two years now. Their enemy wanted nothing more than to lay down their arms…the Prince desperately wished for peace.

When the Colonel asked how Lord Mortensen knew such detail about what the Prince's thoughts were the man blushed and the queen giggled.

"Let's just say our Viggo here has been sleeping with the enemy for several months now." The queen answered smiling into her wine glass.

Sean cleared his throat. "Oh. You are a spy?" He asked.

"Not exactly." Viggo answered uncomfortably. "Lets just say love doesn't exactly see things in black and white, friend or foe, rank or station." Viggo explained.

Sean nodded at the explanation and did not delve further. He didn't want to know if Viggo had traded strategies with his lover. He didn't want to know if he had been responsible for his men being ambushed. He wanted peace and picking a fight with this man would not accomplish it. They were all on the same side now no matter what the past held.

Around midnight Viggo said he had to leave. He would be meeting with his friends in the morning. As he left Liv and Sean saw him to the door of the Queen's chamber, and then Sean turned as if to leave himself but Liv shut the door, nearly in Viggo's face. Lord Mortensen simply laughed and winked at Miranda at her station by the door.

"No, no need to show me out…I grew up here I know the way!" He called then made his way down the corridor to the door.

"Stay." She whispered so softly that Sean may have missed it if he hadn't been watching her lips.

"I must return to my regiment, my lady." Sean said softly.

"Oh…yes, Colonel you must not neglect your duties." She answered disappointed.

Sean dropped his head and stared at the marble floor for a moment.

"I suppose…I can stay a bit longer if you wish." He answered looking back up into her sapphire eyes. He knew it wasn't a smart move, but he couldn't resist this woman no matter how hard he tried.

"I wish." She answered smiling.

Her soft words had opened the floodgates of desire. In moments Sean closed the short distance between them and pulled Liv into his arms. He took her mouth quickly, one hand tangling in her long dark hair. His lips were smooth and soft , and they moved gently against hers as if savoring the taste of her. She had been kissed before, though she was still a maiden the kisses were always chaste and certainly always the man had asked permission first. This kiss was neither chaste nor gentlemanly but she had no desire to stop. If anything she wanted more.

He knew it was wrong for a mere soldier even a Colonel to kiss the Queen but he could not help himself. From the first moment he saw her he had fallen in love with her beauty. Then again a few months ago when she addressed him in the courtyard and their eyes met he felt as if he'd known her his entire life.

She could feel his heat and strength as he plunged her deeper into the kiss, demanding every drop of sweetness her mouth could provide. Her body reacted like her blood was on fire. A slow ache began growing in the center of her being and seeping all over her body. Liv moaned softly which drove Sean even deeper still pulling her lithe body tighter against him. She even thought for a moment she could feel his heartbeat though perhaps it was just her own.

Finally his mouth left her lips and slid down her chin to her throat, each place his lips touched her skin was set ablaze. Her hands had wound themselves into his soft golden hair and she realized she was breathing in short shuddering breaths.

His hands left her hair and were traveling along her face, her jaw as his lips left her throat and kissed her face. Soft like butterfly wings fluttering he kissed her cheeks, her chin, her nose, and her closed eyes. She was exquisite and he wanted her more than air.

He whispered against her ear, "You are beautiful, my queen."

She sighed as he nipped at her ear lobe…as his hands traveled down her back to her waist and then slowly back up her sides until his thumbs met the curve of her breasts through the thick velvet of her gown. She sucked in a breath as his fingers traced the soft swell. She was trembling now under his touch and when his thumb brushed over a nipple her gasp ripped through him, the sound of it, the sensation of her body arching against his almost made his knees buckle.

Finally he pulled back from her, breathless.

"I must return to my regiment…before something happens we both regret, my lady." He whispered trying to regain control of his breathing.

Liv bit her bottom lip and frowned slightly. He was right, if Hugo were to come back suddenly as he was known to do and found the Colonel here in her chamber at this hour there was no telling what would happen.

"Just touching you is a court martial offence." He murmured straightening his jacket.

"What?" She asked suddenly aware what he was saying.

"I am just a soldier, my lady. Officer or no, just touching your hand could land me on the gallows if witnessed by the wrong person. I broke protocol in front of Lord Mortensen when I kissed your hand this evening. I just can't help it, I can't, my lady. I must go. I will not return, I will send one of my men with word to your servant when I am to set our plan in motion. I beg your forgiveness, my queen." Sean said in a rush unable to look at Liv.

"Wait, Sean." She said softly before he could open the door to let himself out. Hearing his first name upon the Queen's lips stopped him.

"I wanted you to kiss me, I wanted you to touch me, and I still do. Cannot the Queen decide whom she wishes to touch her?" Liv asked.

"Yes, my lady." Sean answered unsure of himself.

"Liv…please, Sean. Just Liv." She answered crossing to him. "Kiss me again, before you go."

"You are very young, I would guess that you are at least ten years younger than me if not more. You are more dangerous than an entire brigade of Prince Bloom's men to me." Sean whispered with a grin before kissing her breathless all over again.

When they broke the kiss again Liv smiled. "You are younger than Viggo, and that is who my Uncle wishes me to wed."

"Lord Mortensen? But he is in love with Prince Bloom?" Sean asked confused.

"Yes, but Hugo doesn't know that silly." Liv admonished with a grin.

"Well, I know that…but…oh lass, I must go. It will not do for someone to see me leaving at this late hour. I shall leave from the kitchen. I hate to drag your servant's name into this but if I am asked I will say I was visiting Miss Miranda." Sean answered.

"Miranda will not mind a man as handsome as yourself making that claim." Liv teased then grew serious taking his sword callused hand in her own, "Be careful, Sean."

He smiled and squeezed her hand. "I've been a soldier for fourteen years, my love. I am always careful."

He kissed her quickly on the tip of her nose and slipped out the door before she could protest again. She leaned against the door for several minutes as his words sunk in. My love, he had called her my love! She began to giggle and then spin around in the center of the room.

"He called me my love!" She whispered to herself as she spun.

"Who called you 'my love', niece?" Uncle Hugo asked from the door witnessing the young woman's glee.

"What?" She asked stopping suddenly her smile vanishing along with all color from her cheeks. Miranda must have shown Sean out the back way, this is the only way Hugo could have missed them, and explains how he came in her room without Miranda first announcing him.

"You said 'he called me my love'. Who did?" Hugo asked crossing into the room.

"Viggo, er um Lord Mortensen." Liv corrected straightening her gown.

"I see. So the two of you have finally stopped dancing around each other? It is a good match as I have told you both before." He said pouring himself a glass of wine without being invited.

"Yes, we had dinner again tonight. We have been friends for so many years now, I guess it was hard to see more than just friendship." Liv said hoping her lies would appease him. "You are home early." She added in hopes of changing the subject.

"Good to hear that you and Viggo are finally moving forward. And yes, I am home early. On my way back home, but your Aunt asked if you had the tapestry ready. I do loath running errands for her, but she is still quite unwell." He explained. Liv knew the extend of Cate's being unwell. Hugo beat her more savagely than he ever beat her, particularly when Viggo visited because he couldn't beat Liv. She hoped in their bid for peace and to topple Hugo they could also save her Aunt Cate. She hated the way Hugo treated her. She was nothing more than another acquisition. The only daughter of a wealthy Lord with many titles and lands to his name. Hugo married her for her money and titles and nothing more.

"Yes. Let me get it for you." She said rushing to the tapestry frame.

"Where is your lovely little servant girl?" Hugo asked.

"After Viggo left I let her go spend time with a soldier she has been seeing. You remember the Colonel you introduced me to several weeks ago in the courtyard parade?" Liv asked again lying.

"Oh yes, Colonel Bean, expect to see him General by years end, if he doesn't get himself killed, and keeps winning battles. Lucky bugger, and savage too, a right good killer he is. Glad he's on our side." Hugo mused.

Liv wanted to scream that he isn't savage that he is gentle and kind, and a better man than you could ever hope to be. She held her tongue.

"Yes, well he and Miranda are seeing one another." Liv lied again.

"Suppose Miss Miranda likes them rough and tumble then. She always seemed a spirited lass." Hugo remarked crudely.

"Here is the tapestry, Uncle." Liv said handing him the wrapped piece.

"Cate will be happy." He said taking the material and heading for the door just as Miranda opened it. Though only Hugo's death was the only thing that could possibly make her Aunt Cate happy, thought Liv.

"Ah I see your liaison with the Colonel was short lived. Just come up for dessert did he?" Hugo sneered at the blonde girl whose eyes flashed fire. She could just imagine what he was thinking and what lies Liv had to tell for her absence.

"He has returned to his regiment, my lord. He has little time to spend with me, always planning the next battle." Miranda said softly without missing a beat.

Liv nearly sighed with relief but held it.

"Good soldier, we need more like him." Hugo grinned.

"Yes, we do my lord." Miranda answered tipping her chin up defiantly.

Hugo nodded to her and then to Liv and let himself out. "I can find my own way out."

After her closed the door Miranda frowned. "Too bad you can't find your way right into a bottomless pit, my lord." She sneered and Liv giggled behind her.

"Thank you, Miranda." Liv breathed. "Thank you for everything!"

"It was nothing. Colonel Bean is quite kind. He apologized profusely for having to smear my name. Such a sweet and handsome man." Miranda answered.

"Yes he is that." Liv said smiling and crossing to the window to look out into the darkened battlefield lit by moonlight and camp fires.

She prayed their plan would work. She told Miranda of the plans they had made and the young blonde's eyes grew large as she explained. She was so happy to hear the news that she was sure she wouldn't be able to sleep that night.

Their plan was to be set in motion in two days time.

Continue to chapter 4