Kingdom of Tulips

Chapter 13

"It's pathetic," Tulip's small voice was shaking, just like the rest of her body. "Why do I panic so much because of that? I am so stressed about something I have been preparing for my whole life. Why?"

We had been sitting in the storage room for 5 minutes. I had my back up against the wall and Tulip was curled up, sitting in between my legs, resting up against me, as I held her.

"Do you think you can take the responsibility of being the country's queen, and not be a little on your nerves? It's normal. You're under a lot of pressure and nobody is blaming you." I let my hand caress her hair, trying to calm her down.

Did the king want to marry his only heir, his only daughter, away to some stuck up prince? I couldn't believe it. I didn't doubt that she was telling the truth, but I couldn't wrap my head around it. There was no way in fucking hell I would let him marry Tulip away. I wouldn't allow him to take her away from me.

I knew he loved his daughter, so this seemed out of the blue. There had to be some other reason. He wouldn't let his daughter live her life where she didn't love her husband.

We sat for a little while longer. "Didn't you need to get the wine stain out?" she asked.

I looked down at the wine stain I spilt onto myself. It hit the dark vest I was wearing. "I should. These are probably the nicest clothes I own." I usually just wore a button-up shirt with pants, besides the navy uniform. This outfit was three layers, two too many.

"I know where the nearest bathroom is." She began standing up and I followed along. Before she opened the door, she turned to me. "Does it look like I have been crying?" she asked and whipped non-existent tears away from her cheeks. "No, you look very-...  You look as always," I finished off, regretting what I first had in mind to say. She opened the door and we began walking towards the nearest bathroom.

She told me she knew where it was, because she had been here a lot. She and Rinan were childhood friends. Emphasis on friends.

She opened a door and revealed a small bathroom. I walked in, but she remained outside. "Are you not going to join me?" I asked.

"I don't think you need me, you can get the stain out yourself, right? I'll wait outside." She began to close the door, but I stopped it with my foot.

"I can't do it by myself," I complained. She looked at me with a questionable expression. "I think you would be better at this than me," I said. "And there are no mirrors."

She stood, debating whether she should or not. She sighed and walked into the bathroom. I closed the door after her and locked it. When I turned to her, she was in the process of finding a cloth from the cabinet and wetting it.

"Take your jacket off," she instructed, as she turned to me.

I smirked at her. "Stop it," she said when she knew what I was thinking. Nevertheless, I took off my jacket and threw it onto the bathroom counter. She stepped towards me in an attempt to wash the wine stain off. I grabbed her waist and lifted her onto the counter. She gasped a little in surprise but didn't resist. I caged her in between my arms and leaned in toward her.

Her eyes met mine, holding it for a moment. "Don't you need to wash up the stain?" I asked her. Her eyes widened slightly, as if she was embarrassed. Her gaze quickly fell to the lower part of my vest where the stain was. She laid her hand gently on my stomach and used the other to wipe away the stain with the cloth.

She used a little force to try and get it removed. "I don't think I can get it all out. You should get it cleaned by the maids back at the castle," she looked up at me again. Face close.

Fuck. Her lips were right there.

"Some of the wine soaked through and stained my shirt underneath too. Unfortunately." I began to unbutton my vest. I took it off and saw a big stain on the white shirt. My shirt was thin. She laid her hand onto my stomach, feeling it more than before. She wasn't looking me in my eyes, her gaze was all over my torso. My eyes, however, were all on her.

She began slowly whipping the stain. Red wine on a white shirt was not a good combination, I knew she wouldn't be able to clean it much. She probably knew too.

There was no air between me and the counter. Her legs were wrapped around me. Eyes on the stain.

"Were you jealous of Rinan?" she asked me.

I grinned. "Why do you think I would be jealous?"

"The way you acted towards him. The way you interrupted him when he spoke to me," she explained. "I could've sworn you were glaring at him throughout the whole dinner."

"I don't see why I should be jealous. Tell me, Tulip. Is it him standing here in between with your thighs, legs wrapped around him and your hands all over him?"

Her head snapped up at me. "Don't word it like that," she complained, pushing me a little back, so she could jump down from the counter. "You're making it sound like- you know." She avoided eye contact, wetting the cloth again.

"Make it sound like what? Use your words, Tulip." I said, walking up behind her.

I heard her inhale sharply as she felt my body press against her back. "Arlys-"

I wrapped my arms around her. Her maid couldn't interrupt us now. I didn't want to kiss her if she didn't want to, but I was tempted. So tempted my thoughts about her began to run wild.

"We need to get back to the others." She took a hold of my hand which was gently resting on her stomach.

"Will you be alright with the others?" I mumbled in her ear.

"I'll manage," she responded and headed towards the door. She unlocked it, but didn't open it. "Are you not coming?" She looked back at me, but I didn't remove myself from the counter.

"I need to pee. You can go ahead without me," I lied.

"Oh, okay. I'll see you at the table then." She closed the door after her and I locked it again.

There was no way in hell I would return to that table, filled with the richest and most important people in the country, with a boner. A boner caused by the king's daughter.