The prompt is: "Sometimes I just can't control myself around you", and kiss prompt 32: A kiss so passionate, so perfect - that after they part, neither person can open their eyes for a few moments afterwards.

Warnings: adultery, mentions of execution

When your husband had told you that he had been summoned by the King to live at the castle and to become one of his advisors you were unhappy about it.

You didn't particularly love your husband, but you did love the house you lived in together.

When he asked you to join him to move to the castle you reluctantly agreed, only so you could support your husband when he needed it.

You had married quite young, him being a few years older than you, but he treated you kindly and with respect.

He didn't force you into anything either, and your family had started to ask in every letter they wrote when you'd finally be with child.

You didn't mind at all that your husband took other women instead of you, you were happy about the fact that he didn't pressure you into having his children yet.

When you moved to the court you knew he'd have less time to focus on your marriage because of how busy the King would keep him.

When you arrived at the palace you saw that it was indeed the case, but the King kept you occupied as well.

He didn't give you orders or any special attention but he occupied your mind anyways.

You had never seen or met a man as beautiful, ambitious and kind as him.

Whereas other men didn't interest you at all he drew your attention to him whenever he entered the room, and a yearning feeling appeared in your stomach whenever he stepped closer.

You didn't see that he was in any way interested in you and you knew that he wasn't, he was married and so were you, but you thoroughly wished he would show even the slightest interest in you other than the kind formalities that were expected of him.

The attraction you felt towards him was too strong to hide it properly and you had seen your husband catch you staring at the King a few times already.

You didn't know what he thought about it since you didn't talk about it at all but you knew it wasn't good.

You were one day walking through the gardens when you met the King properly.

He was standing by a small pavilion you went by and you didn't notice him before you were suddenly face to face with him.

He was silent when you came to a stop and you decided to stand next to him, the both of you nodding a silent greeting with a polite smile on your faces.

When you turned your attention from him to your surrounding you could still feel his eyes on you, making a blush appear on your cheeks that was too strong not to be noticed.

When you glanced back at him he had a thoughtful but amused look on his face, which made you smile and look down at your feet in a mixture of shame and amusement.

"You are very beautiful, my lady", he told you and you entirely gave up trying to hide your blush.

"Thank you, lord King", you answered, not meeting his eyes in fear of showing the attraction you had developed towards him in the short time at court.

After a short pause and a chuckle the King moved on his feet a bit, showing his uneasiness.

"Please, call me Alfred", he told you and you answered by uttering your name and asking him to call you by it.

It wasn't proper at all to call each other by the first name especially since you didn't know each other and were both married, but he was the King, he made the rules.

"Your husband doesn't treat you as well as you should be treated?", he asked, though it sounded more like a statement than a question.

"It is my observations that lead me to think he doesn't particularly care for you, which you do not deserve. You seem the kind that should be cherished by their man, and it doesn't seem that way", Alfred told you, and his unexplained confidence confused you.

He didn't seem the man to be confident around women, you had noticed so already, but he seemed different now.

"He doesn't care about me, that's true, but that doesn't mean he doesn't treat me well. His disinterest is something I am grateful for, since I know others that do not have such luck", you answered, and the answer silenced the King as he nodded and let his eyes roam over your surroundings.

"Are you... have you... I mean did he ever...?", he asked, a blush now forming on his cheeks, but yours grew redder as well as you finally understood the question.

It was nothing he should ask you, it was a scandalous question, but nevertheless you felt like he was supposed to know, though you didn't know why you felt that way.

"As I said earlier he respects my wishes", you answered, and a small sigh left the King's lips, making you study him, waiting for him to go on and say something.

It was a strange question for a man to ask that was married to another woman, and that had no interest at all in you, but maybe you had been wrong to assume so.

The silence that followed was long and even quite pleasant, better than admitting what you now knew you felt for each other and ruining your lives by wanting to persue those feelings.

"I care for you, more than I should", he told you and your eyes shot up to meet his, and you immediately knew he was telling the truth.

You only nodded breathlessly as he bravely took a few steps towards you, close enough to reach out or kiss you.

You straightened up as he stopped walking, no contact between the two of you except for the touch of his breath on your face and your eyes intertwined in a look of love, care and longing, even though you didn't even know each other.

You didn't say anything as he slowly reached a hand out to touch the side of your face, his thumb moving from your cheek to trace your lower lip before returning to your cheek again.

It was such a loving gesture, unlike anything you had ever experienced, that your breath caught in your throat.

When he leaned down to press his lips against yours you held your breath in anticipation until you felt the connection you had been longing for.

It was just a short, fleeting locking of lips, but it was so perfect that neither of you dared to open your eyes.

It was a mix of the irrational fear that this was nothing but a dream and the more than just rational knowledge that it being a dream would be better for everyone.

You stood there so close to each other, eyes closed and feeling each other's short breaths on your faces, your foreheads touching.

It was too beautiful to be true, and though you knew it shouldn't be true you were happy it was.

The relationship between Alfred and you only grew from then on, soft kisses after meetings or meals in the corner of a room people thought the King was alone in, or dark spots in hallways that granted you the secrecy and privacy you so desperately needed.

It was a miracle that you hadn't been caught yet, but Alfred was the godliest man in all of Wessex and Mercia, the men of church included in your calculations.

Nevertheless you knew it was only a matter of time until someone had to discover the relationship Alfred and you tried to lead in secret.

It was something you had never thought possible, but only the few glances and fleeting touches were enough to make you love your life, to find thrill and fulfillment you had never even dreamed of.

You knew it could be taken away from you any second, but you didn't dare to think about it.

After a specifically long meeting the King had had which both you and your husband had to attend as well everyone had left the room, everyone except for Alfred and you.

Like usually the guards left, not noticing that you were still in the room and as soon as the doors closed you moved towards each other in a desperate kiss.

This one was far deeper and more longing than the first one you had shared, something that left the two of you longing for more.

Alfred pulled away, his hands caressing the sides of your face as he chuckled, his forehead still against yours.

"The whole time during council I felt like I couldn't keep my eyes off of you", he chuckled as he pecked your lips shortly.

"Sometimes I just can't control myself around you", he added, which made you chuckle as well.

You felt the same way around him, and you had gotten to know the seemingly shy King who was far less shy and awkward than anyone might have thought.

"Lucky for you I can control myself around my wife, my King", you heard and Alfred and you shot apart to stare at the entrance of the throne room, your husband standing at the door, glaring at the two of you.

It was a mixture of anger and a devilish grin that told of his true intentions in catching the two of you together, and Alfred looked as horrified as you were.

It wasn't that your husband had caught you rather than the thought of what he might be able to do with this information that scared both you and your King.

"It isn't...", you began, but Alfred placed his hand on your back, smiling sadly at you.

"There's no point in denying it, my love", he told you and you closed your eyes in shame and in fear of what was to come.

The man you had lived with for years now stepped further towards you, the smug grin still on his face.

"What is it you want, my lord?", Alfred asked as you placed a hand on his arm to reassure him.

"I want more money. A better paid job as your advisor, maybe something that would make me your right hand, with more authority and power, and I want more lands to own", he told Alfred and you breathed in as you heard the conditions your husband was listing for his silence.

"And I want something that assures me that after your death I will have a serious chance to gain the throne".

Once those words left his lips you took a step away from the man you had grown to love these last few weeks, shaking your head vehemently.

"Please, you cannot...", you began, but your husband shot you a cold glare before grinning at Alfred.

"Or I will make sure that you will not have the chance to meet in private anymore, and I will make my wife my woman in every way you cherished these last few weeks, using force if I have to", he told him and your eyes shot to Alfred who looked as horrified as you were feeling.

"Alfred, you don't have to do this. He's asking for far too much", you told your lover, and the knowledge that you had to go back to your husbans was far less horrible than knowing that you would never be able to be with Alfred again.

"I cannot let him do this", Alfred answered you, and you nodded as an answer.

He moved around so he was facing a window, letting his hand roam through his hair before letting out a desperate breath.

"I cannot let him do this to you, my love, but my duties towards my people are far more important than the wellbeing of myself and a single person", he told you as he turned to face you again, goosebumps running down your back as you nodded breathlessly.

Alfred didn't look at you as he turned towards your husband, a deep breath again leaving his lips.

"Nevertheless I cannot risk you hurting the woman I love. I am sure we can sit down together and come to an agreement of sorts that will satisfy the both of us", Alfred said, and your eyes shot towards him yet again.

"You cannot let him do this, he's asking for too much!", you said and Alfred moved towards you to press a soft kiss on your temple.

"I will find a way, just like always. Don't worry, love", he whispered to you as he pressed a second kiss to your lips, much to the anger of your husband.

You nodded, your faith in your lover far greater than the fear you had for your husband.

When the two men finished their negotiations they settled a contract that favored your husband far more than it did Alfred.

Your worries returned full force until Alfred reassured you that he had a plan that he wasn't willing to share with you for your own safety, one that would keep you safe and that would assure his Kingdom's safety as well.

And indeed, only a few moons after the contract was made your husband was sentenced to death of treason, a scheme Alfred and his brother had planned and that a few lords had agreed to, leaving your husband with nothing but incoherent mumbling, with the curtesy to you taking away and hiding the contract your husband had cherished so much.

It was an unfortunate end for your husband, but you knew it was the right call to make, since your husband's ambitions solely focused on himself, not caring for the good of the people.

As a widow with no means you were left to stay in the castle, remaining the King's mistress through his and your will, and you lived your life happily and unseen at his side.

You didn't care for fame or glory as much as you loved Alfred, and he returned the love unconditionally, much to his wife's despair.