Closer

Everything went normal, and Katara still can't believe that she just almost died many times for nothing! She still wants to own the prize, which now Desmond possessed. Listening to this old man right in front of her is useless, the duke. When he learns about her playing the game, he gets mad. She's looking outside the window of the carriage where she is sitting. Her hand is placed on her cheeks and barely listens to his nags.

"You! I told you to lie low! I never told you to enter that stupid game, what if you die? All-time and efforts I spend on you will go in vain! May I remind you Katara, your family is in my hands. I can kill them whenever I want, one mistake you make and you'll never see them again. I am deadly serious Katara, play your role just what I told you. Know your place!" Katara still ignoring the duke nags, Katara didn't know if Angus is real or not. Since she wakes up, she never hears his voice inside her head again. Maybe he was just in the game? Because it's impossible for her to have four elemental powers, she's just ordinary. So there's no way she will own a core spirit.

"Are you listening to me?" The Duke asks, she looks at the duke, she's so sick of him using her family as a treat. He should change his ways, it was so repetitive.

"I am, I understand. This will never happen again. But come to think of it, the Prince takes care of me while I am in the hospital. He is so worried about me, and I will use this chance to ask him to spend more time with me. Don't worry, I'm still doing my job. Now, tell me some news about Ave? Did you already track her?" He took a deep breath and shook his head. He should mind his own business because she's doing her job as he wanted.

"No, she's hiding carefully. But don't worry, I'll tell you right away and give you the next plan." Katara nodded her head.

"Then, I should go now. The prince is waiting for me." That's right, the prince is waiting for her. He's standing in the gate in front of the Academy together with his right hand, not so far from them. It's been twenty minutes since she's in the carriage, how could this old man talk twenty minutes straight?

"That's right, we shouldn't let him wait for so long." She agreed by nodding her head, the duke went out from the carriage and offered his hand for assistance. Katara wanted to roll her eyes, what a pretentious jerk. She accepted it, and then they walked towards the Prince.

"I apologize for waiting for your highness, I can't help but check if my daughter is doing okay." Yeah, he's making sure to do her job carefully.

"You may take care of her, your highness, I am humbly asking a favor."

"Don't worry. This won't happen again, I will protect your daughter as much as I protect my life." Deimos said gently, full of assurance, the duke smiled. Because of what the crown prince said, the duke seems satisfied and a small grin came out from his lips.

"I can't express my gratitude to you, your highness, I thank you." Deimos nodded, he was cold yet he looked so kind. That's what Katara notices, he's smiling kindly.

"I should apologize for what happened, it's my responsibility to take care of her."

"You don't have to be your highness, nevertheless I hope this will not happen again."

"I am making sure of that." Katara is out of patience, she grabs the crown prince's wrist and looks at the Prince.

"It's my decision, the prince is nowhere to blame. We need to go duk— I mean father. The prince still needs to take me on a date, stop worrying, and just go. I can perfectly take care of myself, father." She said to Duke and a smirk appeared on her lips, he can't do anything because the prince is here. She didn't wait for his response and then pulled out the prince after she woke up yesterday. The prince insisted on making her stay at the hospital to take more rest but she did not, she can feel her body is already fine. In fact, she feels her body is very light as a feather, the prince escorted her today to meet the duke to also apologize for what happened which is not his fault. Never ever she will blame him for her own decisions.

The right hand of Prince Deimos was about to say something about Katara casually touching and holding the duke when Deimos gave him a cold gaze, he immediately understood the assignment when the prince signaled him to get away from them.

"Are you really fine? You should rest for today." The prince says, and Katara groans in annoyance because it's his million times asking her the same question.

"I am fine, your highness, so let's just hang up." She will not enter the selection class without spending time with him, knowing Janice! She will literally boast about her experience with the prince. Just thinking Janice is getting ahead of her, it's pissing her off. Of course, she'll not enter the room without any interesting stories to be told.

"Then where do you want to go?" She asked.

"I am fine with everywhere, but you can bring me to a restaurant full of delicious foods if you don't mind." She says and smiles. The prince just looks at her, her eyes are barely visible because of the way she smiles. She was like a puppy who's smiling at him while it's asking for a treat, he can't help but nod his head.

"Of course, if that's what you want. Anything you want m'lady." Katara jumped in excitement.

"Yes! Now, what are we doing here? Let's go." She rejoices and pulls Deimos again. They enter a royal carriage, the prince offers his hand for assistance and she accepts it.

As Katara held his hand, he immediately felt its warmth and its roughness. Katara hand is not a typical noble hand, unlike other women. You can see some of her veins are visible, there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, the crown prince finds it very attractive and sexy. After she recovered her hand, the crown prince closed his fingers together. For unknown reasons, it seems like her hand's warmth and touch are imprinted to his palm forever.

"So, what happened when I was sleeping?" She curiously asks the crown prince to take a seat in front of her.

"Nothing really, everything turned back into normal after the celebrations were done." She snorted, that was boring! She's expecting that she'll experience the celebrations as she saw in Harry potter, first, she didn't win, second, she missed the entire celebration, and third, she missed a date with the prince that might be their memorable night. She kinda regrets entering the game, but overall she enjoys almost dying several times.

"So do you enjoy the celebration? I mean, how is it? Have you already decided on your next queen?" Deimos looks at her, she looks excited for him. That was like she's not part of the selection, she acted like a really good friend asking how her best friend experienced her first date.

Katara's smile vanishes when she realizes something, yeah right! She's part of the selection. When she saw the prince was about to say something, she stopped him by putting her palm on his lips. It was quick and fast, she didn't notice what she had just done.

"No, don't answer the question!" She said, when she recognized that her palm was on his mouth her eyes widened, and quickly pulled back her hand.

"I'm sorry, I am truly sorry!" She apologized, Deimos nodded and avoided gazes. He turned his eyes at the window of the carriage, he touched his ears that felt heated. She just put her palm on his mouth, and it touched his lips. He kissed her palm! Thinking about that he felt his ear heated more. Damn!

"Anyway Do you sleep?" She asked again, Deimos looked at her and nodded like an obedient puppy. She met his eyes again,

"Liar." She said, she pointed to his eyes that had dark spots.

"Stop lying, you liar."

"It's the truth, I sleep. A prince will never lie." Katara rolled her eyes, the evidence is present and he still chooses to lie.

"Yeah, yeah, if you said so."

They set foot in a boutique, while they were in the carriage earlier, Katara came up with a good idea and that's changing their elegant clothes into an ordinary one. She pulled him again, and then surveyed the whole boutique to find a suitable disguise for the crown prince, when she saw a suit for a businessman. She immediately picks it up and places it on the crown prince's chest to see if it will fit him. She nodded her head, as she could see that it might be fitted perfectly on him. She also picked a simple dress that could be her disguise.

"I think this one will be a perfect disguise." She said, the crown prince just looking at her confused but nodded. He holds the suit that she handed, and Katara pushes him to enter a fitting room.

"Go now, change." She said, and a teasing smile appeared on her lips.

"Do you want me to help you?" She asks, he seems surprised by what she said and immediately enters the fitting room and closes the door but she was double surprised when the door opened again and then the prince suddenly pulled her.

"Wha-" Before she could finish her words, the prince covered her mouth using his palm. She can't help but to look at his hands, the veins are coming out! His massive hand almost covered her whole face, she didn't move. As they stand closer together, their height difference shows more. She was only up to the crown prince's collar bone, she tilted her head upwards and looked at him. He slowly brings down his hand and watches him put it on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry." He whispered in her ear, as he bowed slightly to reach her. She feels his warm breath on her skin as he speaks, her heart begins to beat rapidly. She slowly inhales, why does that seem like the fitting room getting smaller? He stands straight again to look at her face, their eyes meet. Unlike the previous gazes, she can see his golden color of eyes closed. More vivid, more detailed. His lashes are longer than she saw it for the first time, she can hear his quiet breath.

"It's okay…" She whispered back without cutting their gazes, his body is much more masculine as she continues to analyze him while he is closer. Their body is just inches away, their skin is almost touching each other. He has a broader chest as every woman fantasizes, Katara met a different masculine man in her previous life but he is different.

"I think we need to change now." She said as she understood why he just pulled her. It's for them to hide, someone is following them. She decided to turn around.

"We need to change." She says and starts to unclasped her buttons.

"But-"

"I don't mind, we need to get out of this boutique without getting recognized." She whispered again.

"I will just close my eyes, your highness if you are worried." She said, of course, the royal's body must be hidden and sacred. But they don't need to be completely naked, they just need to change the outer, not the white clothes things they wear at the very bottom of the fabrics in their body. It's not a big deal. She heard his heavy breathing but she just ignored it, she continued to change her clothes. She doesn't mind, because he is different.

Deimos again takes a deep breath, turns around, and starts to unbutton the button on his royal suit. He closed his eyes and started to change. Knowing Katara is just in his back makes his mind go crazy. How could this woman be so bold? How could this woman do anything she wants and he can't even say anything? How could this woman control him? His mind? How could this woman trust him?!