This is the way I shower love

Alora remained seated on the mattress as per the instructions of the head servant, who brought her to the chamber and even made sure she would have her dinner. Earlier, two attendants helped her in bathing and later, dressed her in an attire, which felt soft against her skin. Though she was not used to it, she could not either refuse it. 

She wondered when would Magnus come to the chamber. Alora had a lot of thoughts in her mind, that she wanted to share with Magnus. She touched her blindfold, thinking if she should remove it. 

"Your Highness, let the blindfold stay on your eyes. We are still present here," the head maidservant stated. 

Promptly, Alora brought her hand down and let it rest on her lap. She fidgeted with her fingers, thinking about how she would spend the night with Magnus, who was now her husband. She recalled her mother's advice to be a good wife to Magnus. 

"Your Highness," the head maidservant curtsied Magnus, who just had entered the chamber, along with the two attendants. 

Alora lifted her head to learn that Magnus was in the chamber. She swiftly stood up and kept her head low after bowing to him.

Magnus signaled the servants to leave and in a few seconds, a loud thud of closing the door was heard. 

Magnus checked out Alora from head to toe before striding toward her. He lifted her chin with his calloused fingers. "Let's open the blindfold for you," he said. His other hand reached to the back of her head to loosen the knot. 

The blindfold cascaded off Alora's eyes and her enchanted blue eyes met with Magnus' blood-red eyes. He took a moment to admire her eyes– the eyes which tempted him toward her. 

"I didn't tell you this before. You have enchanting eyes, Alora," Magnus pronounced. 

No one ever said that to her. But no one could look into her eyes either. Only Magnus was the exception. The reason was still unknown to her and only Magnus could look at her. 

"Thank you, Your Highness." Alora downcast her eyes for a moment. She bit her bottom lip, thinking if they should sleep now on the same bed. 

"Shall we begin the night?" Magnus asked for her permission. 

The question made her promptly gaze at him again. She nodded at Magnus, ready to join him for the sleep. But she had an important question, which she could not ask him before. 

"Will His Highness give me love?" She was desperate to be loved. The feeling she could never get from her family, except for her mother, and only heard in the words. 

"And how am I supposed to provide love to you?" Magnus queried amusedly since he was curious to know her thoughts. 

"Holding hands, hugging each other, sleeping together, and sharing thoughts with each other. Isn't that how you shower love?" Alora innocently asked, peering at him with her doe eyes.

Magnus ended up smiling to hear her explanation of love. He leaned down and kissed her lips, causing her to shiver from that sudden feeling. "This is the way I shower love," Magnus pronounced, gazing into Alora's charming blue eyes. 

Alora widened her eyes as she stopped blinking while her breath hitched in her throat. 

"You are innocent," Magnus chuckled with amusement on his face. 

Alora finally breathed and sensed how rapidly her heartbeats had turned. Her mind had frozen after the development of this foreign feeling inside her. 

"I like your innocence, but it has to be ruined soon," Magnus stated. His thumb moved to her lips and traced them while gulping. More than the kiss, he was hungry for her blood. 

But, 

Magnus had decided not to drink from her. 

Alora was flustered by his statement and pondered how he planned to shatter her innocence. Would it be through daily kisses? She mused about the potential consequences, imagining her lips swelling if they would kiss every day. 

"Your thoughts are lovely," Magnus said as he kept smiling at her. 

Alora, then recalled how Magnus could hear thoughts. It made her feel more embarrassed. "Your Highness shall not hear things like that," she murmured. 

"Stop thinking then, and I won't hear them," Magnus told her. 

'How am I supposed to do that? Don't think! Don't think!' Alora told herself in her mind. 

In a swift motion, Magnus held her close, his left arm circled her waist. His right hand cradled her neck and he leaned down to her face. Alora tightly clutched her nightgown, nervous about the proximity they had. 

"Just replicate the movements of my lips," Magnus whispered, his lips were now an inch away from her. 

"W-what?" Alora stammered, taken aback by the unexpected closeness and his whispered instruction.

"We will kiss, my wife," Magnus said. "I've anticipated this moment for four days," he affirmed.

Alora, feeling apprehensive, expressed her fear, "What if I make a mistake? Please don't be angry; I'm inexperienced in this."

Magnus reassured her, "Well, I'm new to this too. Fortunately, you'll be my first kiss. Besides, I'm skilled at teaching, so there's no need to worry," and with that, he claimed her lips.

The moment their lips met, she felt her breath was taken away in a single stroke. Her insides ignited with a spark and her mind stopped thinking. She had become a statue, forgetting to breathe. The gentle nibbles on her lips sent shivers down her spine, which she never felt before.

Magnus sensed her tense state and withdrew from the kiss. His lips remained an inch away from hers, "You need to breathe, Alora." 

She parted her lips and let out a breath before inhaling deeply. "I-I was flustered, Your Highness. I apologize," Alora murmured. With determination, she added, "I'll do it right this time."

"Then, do it," Magnus encouraged her, feeling amused. Though it was only a tease, he liked the way she reacted to the things he would do. She slowly brought her hands to his shoulders and...