The last royal blood

Part 10: You can't do that.

I shook my head absently as my mind was still pre occupied by the shocking fact that I kissed her. I couldn't stop looking at her though. She was so beautiful under the moonlight. 

She winced audibly, making a painful face when she tried to step on the leg. Before I could think twice about what I was doing, I was bent on my knees, and lifting her leg to my thigh. 

Or attempted to. She didn't let me, and quickly snatched the intending limb away from my grip, while exclaiming. "What are you doing, Princess?" 

She sounded aghast, as if I was trying to do something abnormal to her leg. 

I stiffed a snort, and a giggle at the sarcastic comment that filled my head at her exaggerated reaction. 

"Let me take a look," I said in a neutral voice, without glancing up at her. She reluctantly returned her leg to my waiting hand. The moonlight provided little light that I couldn't access the damage to her leg well, but her skin was so pale that the swelling around her ankle was visible. 

Without thinking I tried to move the leg around like I have seen them move them in the movies. 

She screamed in pain again, snatching the offending limb from grasp, and then hopped around like a chicken while favoring the leg. 

A giggle escaped my lips at how funny she looked, but I immediately stopped and tried to keep a straight face when she glared at me. Her glare was so powerful for a tiny girl like her. Her attempt at being angry at me was cute. 

"I am sorry," I apologized sincerely. It hadn't been my intention to hurt her. 

Her stiff shoulders relaxed, and a calm look came upon her face. "It is not your fault princess," she said kindly. 

I nodded and then moved closer to her and then squared to the ground level, presenting my back to her. 

"What are you doing princess?!" she gasped shuffling away from me awkwardly. 

I didn't get up. "You just twisted your ankle, and can't walk back, so let me help you," I patiently explained, even though I felt my reason should have been obvious. I was bigger than her, both in height and muscle frame. Carrying her on my back wouldn't be an issue. 

"You can't do that!"

Her words and rebuking tone made me turn to look at her, my expression scrunched up in confusion. "Why not?" 

Her face suddenly went red, even as she tried to answer with a straight face. "It is not proper. I am your servant." 

I scoffed at her meaningless words. What has her being my servant got to do with anything. She is hurt, and I am trying to help her. I opened my mouth to dismiss her words but saw the stubborn look on her face, telling me that words alone will not be able to convince her. The night was wasting away, soon it will be dawn, and I have a fight to win, or loose come tomorrow.

I slowly got back to my feet, a plan in mind. I turned to face her. "Look at me," I commanded when I found her gaze looking at the ground. 

She slowly lifted her eyes to mine. 

The sight of her striking green eyes momentarily destabilized me that I briefly forgot the words that I was going to say. I blinked to shake off the spell of her beautiful eyes before speaking. "I am going to give you two options."

Her green pools turned curious. 

Hiding the giddiness I was feeling inside behind a stoic mask, I told her my plan.

"You either let me carry you back to the house or I kiss you." 

A small part of me hoped that she would pick the later. I was again beseeched by the desire to kiss her. Something that I gallantly fought back, pushing the errant thought down to the bottom of my heart.