16. Interesting.

Neriah was lying, to herself and to him. Of course he was entrancing. She was entranced from the moment she saw him. So entranced that she forgot all about the supposed love of her life! He was good-looking but she'd be damned before she'd admit that to his face.

He was silent, Neriah could only wonder what he was thinking. Worse, the place was still so dark! She couldn't see his expressions at all. Maybe she was too harsh. Even a really confident man would feel crushed if someone bluntly told them they were ugly.

"Well, while you are not entrancing and handsome and all that stuff," she calmly lied, "you are… interesting."

There was a weird silence at first. And she began to wonder if she was really dumb all this time, or if it was the man who was making her feel dumb. He's interesting, what does that even mean?

Apparently, he also needed to know the answer to that same question for he asked her, "Interesting? How? What does that even mean?"

Oh, what was she supposed to reply him now? What was she supposed to say? How was she to explain her own words to him?

"Oh, l don't know. I just said it. I think you are interesting, that is all." She retired. "Anyway, you are drifting from the topic at hand. Let me out of here." she commanded.

He also seemed to have forgotten their major discussion, and only remembered it as she said it. His hands shifted from his hips and went back up to his chest.

"So, since I am not the prince," he stated, then added in a lower tone, "according to you," and exhaled deeply. "You are not going to tell me what the message is?" He asked.

"Aye. I am afraid it is a private matter. I cannot tell it to just anyone. I do not know you, and I do not wish to know you. I just want to go back home."

"But you do know me. At least you know what every corner of my mouth feels and tastes like."

"Oh you rotten bastard! Would you just let me go!"

"What is the message?" He asked again, this time there was not a hint of amusement in his voice. He was serious.

"I cannot tell you! It is the princess's private matter."

"Well then so be it. You will remain here till dawn, then I will drag you to your king myself." He simply stated, and turned around in the darkness and Neriah heard the door being locked. Soon he wasn't standing next to her again, he had moved to the bed and climbed on it.

Neriah instantly ran toward the door, shaking and beating it, trying to turn the knob open. Then she heard a jingling sound coming from the bed. He was with the keys.

"Oh, what is wrong with you? You are such a wretched soul!"

"Woman, I can already tell that your pretty little mouth is filled with no words of flattery, but insults and oaths. So let me warn you one last time. Drop the name calling business. Call me another insulting name one more time and I promise you, I will forget I ever swore not to touch you."

"Oh you, you, you, Ahhhhhhhhhh!" she yelled instead. She wanted to defy him and call him more names; she had a few fitting names lined up in her head that would suit the man. But even though she was stubborn and strong-headed, she knew a predator when she saw one.

And she also knew when to stop when warned to. And as much as she'd loved to insult him or even bite his head off, she'd prefer not to provoke him at all.

"Why are you doing this? Why won't you just let me go home?" she almost cried. "I am covered in dust, I am sweating, my body feels like snail slime, let me go. I just want the comfort of a bath."

"Riah, was it?" His voice touched her, and she shuddered at how soft he could make his voice sound when he chose to. Only her mother called her Riah, and her father on occasions, so she hadn't lied when she told him her name was Riah. But she also hadn't expected the name to roll off his tongue so easily too. "I will give you the comfort of a bath if that is what you want. There is a door to your right, get in there and wash up if it is what you want. There's a tub, you can soak yourself for hours. I do not care but you are not getting out of here."

Oh she was going to lose it!

"What! You want me to wash up in a room where a man is?? How shameless of you!"

"Technically, the bath has its own room, and there's a door. So…"

"What difference does it make! I'll be completely naked on that side, you could walk in leisurely at anytime and—"

"And what? Grope you? I think you think too highly of yourself for a maid. I gave you my word, I will not touch you. So if you really wish to bathe, go in there. Your king did a fine job in setting up the bathroom. There's scented soap, body scrub, that has been used obviously, and neat towels too. So help yourself."