How To Rule ✅COMPLETE

The Scars

Tenen could only describe the kiss in one word.

Electrifying.

His feet were rooted to the ground but he felt like he was flying; like the very first time he had taken flight. The first time he had inhaled the oxygen only found in the clouds so pure that it made his lungs hurt. He was slowly becoming dizzy but it wasn't due too loss of breath but from the girl in his arms.

This kiss was different than their first kiss; for one he had kissed her back and this time she all but melted in his arms. Rin still felt his hunger and need in the kiss even after all that was left was the slight tingling sensation on her lips the only sign that he was slowly claiming her, both mind and soul.

Even watching him now his eyes slowly glazed over, she knew he was the only one she would ever want to kiss, his face still so close to hers that his breath fanned her face mixing with hers till their hearts beat as one. Tenen suddenly stepped back leaving a healthy distance between them effectively ruining their little moment which was impossible to ignore.

'Don't leave'

Rin had interpreted Tenen's retraction as a form of him wanting to leave. He was in enemy territory so she understood if he felt uncomfortable. The last time he had been in the castle he had been wounded, chained and ready to be executed by her father.

'I'm not leaving. I don't even think I will ever want to leave you.'

Rin was speechless. How was she supposed to respond to his words. She could feel the sincerity in his voice and it made her fall for him even harder. She quickly walked to her dressing table before she allowed him to consume her. Grabbing her hair brush she suddenly realised she had never brushed her own hair before; turning towards him she slowly held it up for him her words soft scared to meet his eyes certain her cheeks were crimson with slight unease.

'This is embarrassing, but could you help me'

Rin watched as Tenen looked at the brush like a foreign object. She would have called for her chamber maids but she much preferred them not fainting on the spot at seeing a man in her private rooms. She was just about to retract her request when he took the brush from her hands.

She could not deny how on alert her body was; she could see him from the corner of her eye kneeling on the bed behind her slowly brushing her hair. He was gentle and looked to know what he was doing even if he had never done it before she was certain and without knowing it she slowly relaxed.

Tenen watched as her eyes slowly closed with each brush of her hair. He knew she would be asleep in minutes so he slowly braided her hair. It was soft to the touch and he couldn't help his mind drifting to what it would feel like with his hands knotted in the strands as she became his. By the time he was done she was already asleep and after placing her under the covers he lay next to her above the covers.

The only thing between them.

Tenen watched her sleep. She turned her hand reaching out to him and when he touched it, intertwining their fingers a small smile spread on her lips. A few minutes later he too was asleep but not before whispering two words to her sleeping form certain she couldn't hear him but not being able to resist it either way.

'Goodnight princess'

Rin woke up and was confused as to how she was in her bed since all she could remeber was him brushing her hair but a look to her right she knew he was the one who put her there. She watched him sleep his face turned to the side lying on his stomach. He was beautiful, so peaceful that she dared not wake him. Her hand found its way to his face and she couldn't resist touching him. At her touch he smiled and she felt elated that even in sleep he still knew her touch. She sat up and that's when she saw them. The scars. So many they  flecked his entire back.

Rin traced the scars on his back with her index finger. He seemed to flinch even in his sleep when she traced the marred skin. When she touched the longest one running from his left shoulder right down to the small of his back cutting across all sides barely missing his wings as though the inflictor had taken great pleasure in placing it there he woke up.

Tenen woke up to a hand tracing his scars and he was pulled into memories he had successfully forgotten for a long time. Forgetting where he was, his hand shot out and grabbed the one tracing his back while the other went straight for the throat. His mind playing flashes of that night.

The pain.

The fear.

And most of all what he had prayed for most on that night.

Death.

He pinned the assailant to the bed with every intention of death and was about to start squeezing when the haze over his eyes lifted and he registered exactly who was underneath him.

Rin.

Rin stared up at Tenen. He had his hands around her throat but his eyes were not focused. It was as if his mind was not there, in the present. She saw the moment he realised exactly what was going on, the look of terror washing off his face replaced with regret as he slowly let go falling back on his side of the bed. His reaction had scared her and she almost couldn't ask the question that had bugged her since she had seen the scars but she needed to know.

'Who did that to you?'

The silence that followed her words felt like it lasted more than a minute but it was barely ten seconds. His voice was merely a whisper but she heard his words clear as day and her heart skipped a beat in shock.

'My father.'