The Ring

004

The early morning air felt fresh. The rich scent of trees and grass had stung inside of Chrissa's nose like pine cleaner that the maids of the palace would often use to scrub the walls. It was much less scarier in the day time, the forest. But she was tired, needed to bathe, and her feet were beginning to hurt. She wasn't used to much recreational activities like
walking in the forests for hours upon hours.

Around the morning time, she'd usually send for someone to brew her some tea, and play her piano. After the piano, she'd join Mother and Father for breakfast and base her day around her palace duties, and then rest in the afternoon time.

Her stomach had growled, and the feeling of starvation had kissed her throat. "I'm starving." She announced, as she stopped for a second. The horse suddenly came to a halt, as she leaned against it and exhaled. She really needed to change out of her corset. She wasn't supposed to sleep in them.

Michael raised his eyebrows, and smirked. "Well there was plenty of food last night."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, I hope you're not speaking of that disgusting rodent."

"It was appetizing."

Chrissa began braiding her hair into two. "You're very nasty, Michael." He snickered a bit. The princess then pulled both braids to the back of her head and glared at him. "This isn't funny."

He dropped his shoulders, and turned towards a direction as he motioned for the horse to move again. "Relax, we're approaching a village. We'll get you some food there." He then paused, and scanned her appearance and shook his head. "But you have to change out of that dress. You look too much like royalty. People will get suspicious." He told her.

The brown haired girl looked down at her dress. He was right. She looked wealthy. She wore a dark red silk dress that was accompanied by a dark corset that was laced neatly behind her back.

Golden earrings had decorated her ears and throat with a dark satin choker. Michael had guided his horse to a tree and fed it something that he'd had hidden away in his pocket as they'd both approached a bush.

It was tall, and had cast over the both of them comfortably with trees surrounding the area. There were juice red and purple fruits littered amongst the branches, but neither of them had reached for them out of fear that they could've been poisonous.

When she dropped her tote bag and cloak, she turned towards Michael. "Alright." She spoke softly, as she looked at his nose, and then up at his eyes. "Over here seems decent enough to undress." Her tone felt awkward, she thought. She never thought she'd be undressing in the forest with a knight protecting her.

Michael raked a hand through his messy dark hair, and nodded. He pointed to a random spot before he turned away from her. "Right. I'll be over here if you need me."

"Alright." Chrissa had commented. But she suddenly realized something, as she gently grabbed the back of his elbow. "Michael wait. Could you help me with my corset?" She asked, and as he turned to face her her breath had gotten shaky and ragged. She suddenly felt her face go warm as his gaze met hers, and her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands.

His eyes smiled at her, as Michael locked his jaw. "Of course." He said to her, as she turned her back to him. His breath felt like warm tingles against her skin, as it raked over it.

He brushed her braid away from the nape of her neck, and his rough fingers had undone the lace slowly and carefully.

Hot chills went over her spine as she felt his body behind her own, they were inches apart.
When Michael had fully undone the corset, it fell to the floor gracefully and her breasts had fallen. His fingers lingered for just a second over the bareness of her now fully exposed back.

Chrissa then looked over her shoulder, as a deep exhale escaped from her throat. "T-Thank you. You can go now." She spoke quickly, when she held her dress over her chest tightly. When his rough fingers left her naked back, part of her hated the fact that it felt so good.

"Of course." Was all that Michael had said.