Goosebumps

Bella assisted Aideen in settling into her seat behind the dining table before stepping aside, allowing the duke to continue.

"I understand that you may still feel somewhat uncomfortable here, but I want to express my gratitude for your presence this evening. Bella mentioned that you haven't been eating well since your arrival. Unsure of your culinary preferences, I instructed the cook to prepare a variety of dishes for you."

The princess, her golden-green eyes widening, couldn't help but exclaim, 

"A variety?! Your Grace, that seems like such a waste!"

While her words conveyed genuine surprise and consideration, Tillian was unimpressed. On the contrary, his eyebrows furrowed, a hint of irritation tugging at his lips.

"I beg your pardon? Do you consider my efforts to care for you a waste, Your Highness?"

Aideen felt a shiver run through her entire body, her skin breaking into goosebumps. She hadn't intended to be offensive; she merely wished to emphasize that such an extensive effort was unnecessary to attend to her needs. However, her insecurities and the difficulty she faced in expressing her emotions confidently had once again undermined her intentions.

In an effort to clarify, she stammered with a trembling voice, 

"N-No, Your Grace, th-that's not what I meant at all! I––"

"Bella, please leave the room."

Tillian interrupted the nervous torrent of words, instructing the maid to exit the dining hall. Once again, Aideen felt her body tremble, as if the warm castle surroundings had transformed into a frozen tower made entirely of ice.

'He is upset. I have upset him.'

As Bella closed the doors behind her, the duke rose from his seat and began walking towards the princess. Her entire being seemed to shrink, as if she were a tiny, frightened animal ready to be consumed by a predator.

Releasing a long and somewhat exhausted sigh, Tillian took a seat right next to her. His voice softened, carrying a kinder tone as he spoke,

"I understand that you might still be wary of your surroundings, especially with new people nearby. Therefore, for at least this evening, I've decided to have only myself present here. I will personally take charge of serving your food. My intention is to alleviate any anxiety you may have and enhance your dining experience."

"You will do it yourself?"

Aideen's surprise was not unfounded. Throughout her life, no one had ever attempted to assist her with her meals, even when they were aware that the maids might be interfering with the food in various unpleasant ways.

The idea that someone of such high status, like a duke, would be the first to offer such help was beyond her comprehension. 

Having discerned Aideen's thoughts from her perplexed expression, Tillian chose not to hesitate any longer. He placed three empty plates in front of the princess and commenced placing small portions of each dish onto them.

With patience, Aideen waited for him to finish, attentively absorbing every sound he made. As the duke moved on to serving himself, she lowered her head slightly, still hesitant to begin eating. Discreetly, she inhaled the aroma of the food on her plates.

'It doesn't smell spoiled at all, but then again, the maids used to add a plethora of spices to my food deliberately, attempting to mask the stench of dead bugs. I am famished; the smell is making my head spin...'

Aideen's stomach emitted a quiet grumbling sound, enticed by the tempting aroma of the well-prepared dishes. Despite her eagerness to try at least something, thoughts of the last lamb stew she had at Count Crueder's mansion tightened her stomach, causing painful spasms that made her clench her fists.

Tillian observed Aideen's silent struggle with her inner contemplations for a few more moments before releasing another sigh. He moved his chair closer to hers and spoke again,

"Your Highness, if you still harbor doubts about the quality of the food, I am willing to taste it for you."

Arching her eyebrows, the princess asked in a hushed voice,

"Taste it? What do you mean, Your Grace?"

A somewhat arrogant grin curled the duke's lips. Without offering Aideen any explanations, he simply apologized for what he was about to do and gently took her pale hand in his.

The warmth of the man's skin instantly spread all over the lady's hand, sending a hot flush all the way up to her cheeks. Slowly, Tillian guided the princess's hand over to one of the plates, making her understand that the plate was intended for her. He then delicately picked up a piece of sliced red meat with her fingers, its juicy texture enveloping her skin. Guiding her hand all the way to his mouth, he carefully placed the slice of meat inside it.

The moment the soft skin of Tillian's lips touched Aideen's fingers, she felt as if her whole body was set ablaze. An unfamiliar yet somewhat pleasant heat tickled the insides of her stomach, while her skin crawled with thousands of goosebumps once again.

She found herself utterly lost in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Uncertain whether to feel offended by such audacious behavior or pleased to finally have someone so eager to make her comfortable that he was willing to eat her food off her hands, Aideen was caught in a perplexing dilemma.

She was confused. 

She was frozen as if someone had turned her into a stone. 

She did not know if she was breathing. 

Her head was now spinning for an entirely different reason. 

On the other hand, Tillian relished in Aideen's adorable reaction. Smiling as his red eyes glazed over her blushing cheeks, he repeated the same with several other dishes from the princess's plates. Just when it seemed like Aideen was on the brink of exploding from the rush of blood to her face, the duke gently wiped her hand with a white napkin and placed it back on the table.

"See? I wouldn't eat the food if it was bad. Now, please, have some as well. Even if it's just a little. I cannot let you starve, Your Highness."

It took more than a couple of seconds for Tillian's words to finally register in Aideen's brain. 

Despite the lingering bewilderment from the unusual experience she had just shared with the duke, the princess mechanically picked up the fork, almost as if she were hypnotized. She skillfully stabbed a piece of red meat and placed it into her mouth.

The soft and tender texture of the meat touched Aideen's tongue, and she sensed it practically melting, releasing its delicious juices that flooded her mouth with an incredible taste.

'This is... This is simply divine.'

An uncontrollable smile graced the woman's rosy lips, to which the duke responded with a content smile of his own. He relished watching the princess eat, completely forgetting about his own hunger. 

The blissful dinner, however, was suddenly interrupted by a brief but loud knock on the door.

Not waiting for permission to enter, Sir Stanis opened the dining hall doors and said in a serious voice as he stepped inside,

"Your Grace, I apologize for interrupting your dinner; however, there is something that requires your attention."