Chapter 60

He took me to the room I had been assigned to. I didn't want to ask how he knew which one the million rooms it was and I had actually drifted after he left, finally working off my embarrassment. I was awoken by Crystal speaking with a maid.

"Yes, please pull that one out".

"Yes Ma'am" The maid replied and then came the ruffling of clothes.

I sat up and realised the dress the maid had taken out was the one from the dowager. Crystal turned to me with a surprised look and then a worried expression as she quickly walked towards me.

"Are you okay?" She quickly asked, hand touching my forehead and then pulling the covers roughly off me, "he didn't hurt you, did he?" She inspected my crinkled clothes with uncomfortable scrutiny until she was sure I was fine.

"I'm fine. What's going on?" I asked looking from her to the dress.

"The dowager has invited us to a tea party. I thought it was only appropriate we wear the dresses she sent." She explained, gesturing for the maids to bring out accessories.

"A tea party?" I yawned. "I could use tea" I nodded groggily.

"Don't just think about tea- there could be a surprise task" her voice chided as I found myself staring at the dress. It was bright, screaming for attention and the spider lace woven over it meant it would sparkle in the sun.

"Is it outside?" I asked with a frown.

"Yes? How did you know?" She asked confused, looking at the dress and then me.

I sighed.

"It's the next task".

"How can you be sure?"

"She sent these to us a week in advance for this exact task" i briskly replied and then stood up and opened my top drawer. Inside was the decorative knife she had given me. I lifted it with knitted brows. "There's just one question now… why would we need a knife?"

Crystal looked at me and the knife. Her gaze sharpening as she observed it.

"That's a dagger".

I quirked a brow.

"Does that even matter?"

"Yes. You cook with a knife. You don't cook with a dagger".

"You don't cook…" my eyes widened and I snapped my head towards her in shock, "you defend with daggers- and if needed… you attack" I stared at the small thing as my pulse quickened.

"Should we dress up like we planned?" Crystals hands fell by her side in frustration. She had probably sorted her clothes for the occasion already. I looked to the dress we were sent. They were made to make the wearer appear young, with less layers and more space to move freely. I realised this had truly been well planned.

"No. She wants us to wear these so let's wear them".

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The prince POV

I couldn't shake the image of her lying beneath me no matter how hard I tried. It wasn't just that she was simply breathtaking, but everything from the texture of her fingertips was so beautiful to me. The way her blood flowed through her veins, taunting me with each pulse. The way she didn't realise that when her face flushed I could smell it even more intensely.

I wanted to take her at that moment.

Had I not imagined her face crying in pain I would have. Had it not somehow pained me to think of tears flowing down her cheeks nothing would have stopped me.

Then I recalled how worried I was at the notion of her getting sick. The thought of her body frail and dying. The thought that the one person who made me feel something other than self loathing and spite would pass, scared me.

I hated to acknoledge it, but she was my lifeline whether she wanted it or not.

"I should do some training..." I made my way to the training grounds, hoping to cool off and picked up a wooden sword, hating how fragile it felt in my hands. I swung it at a training dummy and it combusted into ashes. I was far from done.

"If you require a quick warm up I think I could help" i heard the familiar voice of my aid and relaxed for a moment before i took my stance and pointed the tip of my sword his way.

"What's got you fired up?" He asked, ginger hair swaying as he leaned down to retrive a fallen wooden sword.

"Just attack".

He did just that. He didn't disapoint. How could he? he was on another level despite his human limitations.

"It's about that girl, isn't it?"

I rolled my eyes at his words.

"Does it matter?" I deflected his attack with a quick block and then pushed him back.

"Not at all. It's just amusing to see you go through this too" he chuckled and then with a grunt sent a spurge of attacks my way.

Ah yes… the days when he was single were truly the most annoying. It got worse when he met his now wife. He was always whining about how much he wanted to spend more time with her or how I should give him a bonus for no specific reason.

"Not nearly as annoying" i rebuked with a smirk, deflecting all of his attacks.

"Oh but you will be. Especially when she's your queen and you can't understand why she acts this way and that" he rambled, frowning as his every attack was caught.

"You seem certain she'll be my queen?" I felt a strange feeling blossom in my chest. A weird breath of air that made me excited.

"She seems to like you despite how much of an arse you are!" He did a heavy attack and I had to lift my other arm to defend, the wooden sword creaking beneath the weight of him. Had it been even a tad cheaper it would have snapped like a twig.

"She likes me?" I once again pushed him away but this time gently as the aggravation alleviated.

"It seems like that" he coughed and panted as he straightened up and I found myself for once wanting to hear him out.

"Why do you think so?"

"You are seriously…" he scoffed and then with a sigh he continued, "she would've said she hated you if she did. I don't think you being a prince is stopping her from running her mouth".

I snorted.

"You're right" I smiled wistfully, recalling the conversations we've had. "I don't think I've wanted something more…"

"Gross".

"It is, isn't it?".