The Reluctant Duchess

The Reluctant Duchess 06

Part 6 of a Hallmark-style romance reimagined for Literotica.

This is a shorter chapter, but things go off the rails a little.

Reading the prior chapters will certainly help you understand what is going on.

The story is complete, and each of the seven chapters will be posted a few days apart.

Thanks for reading.

They sat across from each other in a private dining room in Albert's restaurant. After some initial small talk, conversation had ground to a halt, so they sat in silence, drinking wine and picking at the delicious bread that was on the table. It had taken some serious persuading from Johanna, plus the promise of a free meal from Albert, to convince Mark that Sophie sincerely wanted to see him. However, nothing that had happened since their dinner meeting started gave him any encouragement. He thought of his dinners with Annalise, and how easily their conversation flowed. Although part of that was their shared background in middle class, restaurant owning families, Mark also knew that Annalise's clear statement that they were only friends, and would never be anything more (at least as long as it was clear that he was not over Sophie), took much of the pressure off.

Sophie was conflicted. She missed Mark, and not only his skills in the bedroom. She realized that no man she had ever been with had treated her with the combination of desire and respect that Mark did. Or was willing to stand up to her and speak truthfully to her, despite her lofty position. But she also knew that she was young, and was far from sure that she was ready to settle down and limit herself to one man forever.

Albert himself came out to take their orders, and when he returned to the kitchen and told the staff what to prepare for their Grand Duchess and Mark, he texted Johanna to tell her that things seemed frosty. Her sad face emoji was the appropriate response.

Mark couldn't take any more of the awkward silence. "Sophie, why did you ask to meet me?"

Sophie looked across the table. "I need a favor from you."

"Of course you do."

"What does that mean, Mark?"

"C'mon Sophie. Should I be surprised that after I opened myself up to you, only to be told that I was nothing more than a fuck buddy to you, that you'd only call me when you wanted something? OK, what do you want?"

Sophie was surprised at the anger in Mark's voice. She didn't understand why her lack of interest in an exclusive relationship, at their age and at that time, was so hurtful to Mark. "What I would like," she said, choosing her words carefully, "is for you to be my escort at Jo and Albert's wedding. Would you, please?"

Mark paused, confused. Was this only what it seemed, or more? "Why?"

"I need a date for the wedding. I'm a bridesmaid and the Grand Duchess. How would it look if I couldn't get someone to go with?"

"Couldn't your mother just reach into her book of fake German nobles and find someone for you?"

"Of course she would, but then it would be awkward, meeting someone for the first time and all."

"Like this isn't awkward?"

"Mark, it doesn't have to be. We got along so well—"

"Until you told me—in bed, or all places—that you were going off to Berlin to fuck some stranger. Or strangers."

"That's not what I said," Sophie responded, her anger beginning to match Mark's level.

"You might as well have. And then you did."

At that point, Albert brought out their appetizers, and they stopped talking. Placing the dishes in front of them, Albert smiled and said, "Enjoy." Sophie and Mark nodded and said, "Thanks." Albert returned to the kitchen and sent Johanna another discouraging text.

Sophie and Mark initially picked at their appetizers, before silently eating them, because they were delicious. Sophie took a drink from her wineglass and said, in a low voice, "I'm not even sure if I did sleep with anyone that weekend—"

"Not sure? How is that possible?" Mark responded with surprise.

"It's really none of your business, but we had been drinking and stuff, and I woke up, alone in bed, but naked. I have no memory of what happened, and Janine said she didn't either."

"I think that's worse, Sophie," Mark replied, with a disappointed tone. "Not only did you tell me clearly that you weren't interested in exclusivity with me, but then you go off to Berlin and maybe have drunken sex with someone and you don't remember? I mean, you were willing to toss me aside for something meaningless and unmemorable."

"You should talk, Mark, since you found someone new pretty quickly."

"Are you talking about Annalise?" Mark asked, surprised.

"Are there others?"

"How did you find out about her?"

"Mark, I'm the fucking Grand Duchess of a tiny country. Do you think I can't find shit out if I want to?"

Mark was pleased that his plan to have dinner with Annalise in a restaurant run by Sophie's assistant and best friend had exactly the result he wanted. "First of all, I met Annalise after you told me that you didn't think we had agreed not to see anyone else. And second, whether or not I've slept with her is, as you have said to me, 'none of your business.'"

Sophie finished her appetizer and the wine in her glass. Mark refilled it for her before silently finishing the food on his plate. They sat there in silence as a busboy cleared the table.

"So, where does this leave us, Mark?"

"Is there an 'us,' Sophie?"

Sophie knew that she almost certainly could repair their relationship by giving Mark what he wanted, but she wasn't ready to admit that it was also what she truly wanted. She had given up so much of her freedom already; she wasn't prepared to give up the little she had left, even if it made her miserable. "I mean, will you just do me the favor that I asked? You're going to the wedding anyway, so it only means arriving with me, sitting with me, maybe a dance or two, and leaving with me."

Albert appeared with their main courses, which looked and smelled delicious, and they sat silently until he left. Albert texted Jo that there seemed to be a minor breakthrough, but things were still tense.

Mark cut into his buttery soft veal and took a bite, enjoying it immensely. He still had strong feelings for Sophie, despite his anger—or more to the point, he was angry because he had strong feelings for her. And maybe spending the evening at Jo's wedding, a joyful and fun occasion, which had the added benefit of being one where Sophie was not the center of attention, might allow them to repair their rift. And if it didn't, Mark realized that would be a clear sign that it was time to move on, even if it was painful to do so. He looked across the table and noticed, for the first time, that Sophie looked thin and tired, despite the flattering lighting and her makeup, and he felt sad if he had contributed to her unhappiness.

"OK, let's go to the wedding together," Mark stated.

Sophie smiled, probably more broadly than she planned. "Thanks, Mark. I really appreciate it." She took a bite of her schnitzel, and for the first time in weeks enjoyed a bite of food. They ate, making small talk and trying to avoid the awkward issues that divided them. And when Albert brought their dessert, he was able to text his fiancée that the ice seemed to have broken, and that Mark agreed to escort Sophie at their wedding.

When the meal was done, and they were heading out, Sophie said, "Mark, I can have my car drop you at your flat. Or," she paused, "you can come back to the palace with me, if you'd like."

Although Mark very much would have liked going back to the palace, he knew that he needed to stand fast, and not succumb to Sophie's charms, except on his own terms, or not at all. "Not tonight, Sophie. We'll go to the wedding and see how things go from there."

Disappointed, Sophie responded, "As you wish, Mark. But let me drop you off."

"Yes, that would be nice."

Sophie's car arrived shortly, and they both got in.

"Good evening Grand Duchess, and good to see you again, Mark," Werner greeted them.

"Good to see you too, Werner."

"The palace, ma'am?"

Sophie answered, "No, Werner, drop Mark off at his flat, thank you."

As he began driving, Werner responded, "As you wish."

It's not what I wish, Sophie thought to herself, but it's what I've got. And it is a little better than what I had.

*

The following Saturday evening, he went to Annalise's bar and sat, waiting for her to finish tending to another customer. When she saw him, she smiled, and poured him a mug of their favorite beer, bringing it over to him.

"Thanks," Mark said with a smile. Annalise, as usual, was wearing a tight tank top that showed off her shoulders and long neck.

"My pleasure. How've you been?"

"Good. Busy at work, mostly. Making you money," he responded with a smile.

Annalise laughed. Every Klippenburgher was happy when the Fund was successful, and under its current leadership, it had been successful for years, adding to the national wealth and that of its citizens. "Good to know," she replied.

Mark took a sip of his Rölksbrau. "I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"I'm going to Johanna and Albert's wedding with Sophie."

Annalise turned and looked Mark in the eyes. "You're doing what?"

"She asked me to escort her to the wedding—I'm going anyway—so she would have a date that she already knew."

Shaking her head, Annalise responded, "You're still wrapped around her finger, Mark."

Mark shrugged. "Look, you know about my feelings for her. But if after this, she's not willing to reciprocate, I'll know that she's not the right woman for me, and it will be time for me to move on."

Annalise ran her fingers through her short hair. "You know that I'm not going to wait forever."

Mark sipped from his beer while trying to think about his reply. "I really like you, Annalise. You're smart, beautiful, fun. And you pour a great Rölksbrau. I don't want you to think that I'm playing some sort of game with you."

"No, Mark. If anything, I'm playing with you. Dangling a relationship with you to try to get you to give up on Her Highness," she said with sarcasm.

"Why? You could get any guy you wanted."

"I've never wanted for male attention. Or female, for that matter." She paused to watch Mark's eyes briefly widen. "But I'm interested in you for the same things you said about me—you're attractive, smart and fun. And to be honest, if you could get Sophie von Klippenberg to come crawling back to you, you must be a very special man. So, yeah, I'm willing to wait for her to break your heart again—sorry—and maybe I can be the one to put it back together. But as I said, I'm not waiting forever."

Mark took another sip from his beer as he tried to process this bombshell. "I'm nothing special, Annalise. Just a regular guy who tries to treat the woman he loves right."

"Trust me, Mark—that's not 'regular.' Not even close."

Mark changed the subject, getting Annalise to talk about her goals to take over the family restaurants, and they batted around ideas, as Mark finished a second beer before saying goodbye and heading back to his flat, still shaking his head about Annalise's comments.

*

Johanna and Albert told their maid of honor and best man that they didn't want the traditional bachelor or bachelorette parties. Not only did they find the traditional stripper party to be old fashioned and a little sad, but they thought it would be more fun to have a coed party where the future bride and groom could relax and party with their closest friends without the pressure of the wedding, and so they set up the party at a large casual restaurant owned by one of Albert's groomsmen who was a friend from culinary school. They invited all of the wedding party, and because Mark was going to be Sophie's date, and because Johanna was trying to get them together, he was also invited and somewhat reluctantly agreed to attend.

It was a lively evening. Music was playing from someone's phone, and there was beer and wine, and as could be expected from a group filled with chefs, lots of good food—nothing fancy, but all delicious. There was dancing, and storytelling, and lots of laughing.

Unfortunately for Mark, most of the conversation was in Klippenburgish, and he found himself lingering on the edge of the crowd, first nursing a beer, but then, as the party went along, drinking faster as he observed the party but didn't participate.

At one point, even Sophie stepped forward and started telling a story. Although Mark couldn't understand what she was saying, from Johanna's reactions, it was an embarrassing story about her. Knowing Sophie, Mark assumed that it had something to do with some sexual escapades they engaged in during their teens. There was a lot of laughter and blushing, and Mark could see that Sophie was enjoying a rare evening out with people her age, who were, for the most part, treating her like any friend. As he watched her, he realized how much easier it would have been for them to have the type of relationship he wanted if she was just another fellow Columbia alum, with a new post-college job.

Mark had a few brief conversations in English with some of the other guests, and they seemed curious about his relationship with Sophie, and he was generally noncommittal, since he really didn't know where things were going. But mostly he found himself sitting alone, watching and thinking.

An animated Sophie, her eyes sparkling and a huge smile on her face, eventually extracted herself from the rest of the crowd, approached Mark carrying two beers, and sat in the chair next to him.

"Hey, are you OK, Mark? You're kind of quiet."

Mark took the second beer from her hand and raised it to his mouth for a swig. Placing the cold brew on the table, he replied, "I guess so. It's kind of hard to get involved when I don't speak the language."

Sophie's eyes furrowed. "Sorry, Mark. I think I'm usually pretty good at making sure people speak English when you're around, right?" Mark nodded. "But this isn't my party, and I really am trying not to be 'The Grand Duchess,' tonight, y'know?"

"I get it, Sophie. I'm not blaming you, but it is what it is. I mean, I know Jo and Albert pretty well, but I don't know their friends, and the language makes it hard for me. I'll be OK, although I'm probably going to leave soon, unless you really need me to stay."

Sophie shot him a look that, not long before, would have completely melted him inside. "What I need from you, Mark, is to take me back to the palace. Or to your place, which is even closer, and make love to me all night. OK?"

Mark struggled to keep himself under control. He knew that if he gave in to his desire, they'd keep treading water. He had promised himself that he wouldn't cave into Sophie's attempts to lure him to bed, no matter how much he wanted to. "No, Sophie. I'd like to, but I told you when I agreed to escort you to the wedding that I wanted to wait until after the wedding and see how we felt."

Sophie reached her hand under the table and placed it on Mark's erection, and he pushed it away. "I can see that you want me, Mark. And I want you. Why can't we just have a night together?"

"Because I don't just want 'nights together' with you, Sophie. I've made that clear. We can talk again after the wedding."

Sophie looked like she was about to explode at Mark, but she realized what a mistake that would be. Instead, she stalled by sipping at her beer. "In that case, Mark, there's no reason you can't leave, if that's what you want. I'm sorry you didn't have that much fun."

By this point, Mark's hard on had subsided, so he stood, air-kissed Sophie, and headed over to say goodnight to Jo and Albert before taking the short walk from the restaurant to his flat, all the while wondering whether he had made a big mistake.

*

"He won't fuck me, Jo," Sophie whined, as they had a glass of wine at the end of the work day.

"He's a smart man, Sophie."

"What?" Sophie sputtered.

"I mean that he is playing hard to get. It's funny—"

"How is this funny?" Sophie demanded. "I'm getting very frustrated, and my vibrator isn't doing it for me now."

"What's funny is that it's like the traditional roles are reversed for you. You're the one playing the stereotypical male role of not wanting to be tied down, and Mark is using the 'withhold sex' thing to get what he wants, which is thought to be a woman thing."

"Trust me, Jo, Mark is all man."

"You know what I mean, Sophie. As attractive and alluring as you are, he's drawn a line in the sand."

"I'm not sure that's the way to get me to change my mind about my independence."

"Maybe not. But what would you do if the situation was reversed."

"I don't know, Jo. Maybe fuck his brains out, so that he doesn't want to give it up."

Jo smiled. "I think he tried that already, and it didn't work. So he's trying a new approach."

"Ugh," Sophie grunted, taking a big swig from her glass. Maybe it is working, she thought to herself. "No, Jo. I'm not ready. So, I'll leave him alone until the wedding, and we'll see what happens. And maybe it'll be time for me to let him go, and find myself some new distractions.

"Maybe that's for the best, Sophie," Johanna replied unconvincingly. She knew in her heart that Sophie needed to get over herself and commit to Mark. But she'd have to come to that conclusion on her own, and hopefully it wouldn't be too painful for her. Or for the people around her, Jo worried.

*

The church was filled with friends and family on a crisp Saturday morning in March. There was a hint of spring in the air, but winter's chill hadn't completely departed, and snow still lingered high in the mountains surrounding Klippenberg City. The crowd chattered among itself and a feeling of anticipation was in the air.

The organ began to play, as the priest, Albert and his younger brother Johannes entered from the side door. Albert, in a dark suit, looked both nervous and happy, and kept glancing down the aisle, despite the fact that he knew full well that his soon-to-be wife was not going to appear for a while.

From the back of the church, the bridesmaids, in pale pink, and the tuxedo-clad groomsmen, paraded down the aisle. Mark watched Sophie, one of the bridesmaids, walk smiling toward the altar on the arm of one of Albert's culinary school friends. There was a buzz from the crowd, as people noticed their Grand Duchess in attendance, simply supporting her friend, and not seeking to distract from her happy day.

Next came a beaming older couple, who Mark recognized as Albert's parents. The matron of honor, Johanna's sister Julia, walked unaccompanied down the aisle, and as she passed her husband sitting in the family section of the church, her son yelled out "Mama," to the general amusement of the crowd.

Two cute little girls followed, tossing flower petals on the carpet, and looking pleased to be allowed to make a mess in church.

And finally, a radiant Johanna, flanked by her parents, walked confidently down the aisle. She locked eyes with Albert, and a private moment passed between the two in front of the adoring crowd.

Although she had been estranged from Jo since their quarrel about New Year's Eve, Sophie watched her friend and confidant closely, and was able to recognize how happy she was. Without once neglecting her duties, Johanna had worked hard to plan the wedding, and was clearly more than excited to marry Albert, with whom she appeared to be madly in love, and, if Johanna's stories were accurate, madly in lust. Sophie was happy to be just part of the wedding and not the center of attention for once. Which is why she fought her mother's objection that it was, somehow, unbecoming the Grand Duchess to appear in a subordinate role, not only to a Klippenberg subject, but to a member of her personal staff. After confirming with the Director of Protocol that there was no impediment, Sophie shut her mother down—although she would have done it anyway.